Two Lines
by demoisellecamille
Summary: LinZin AU! Pre-LoK where Lin finds out she's pregnant with Tenzin's child, and the events that occur soon after. I aged up Pema a bit here. There's mild language and suggestive imagery. I hope you guys like it! I also put in some slight Tokka, so yeah. Have fun!
1. Chapter 1

"Shit."

Lin Beifong's voice echoed through her apartment. She stared, feeling stunned, at the two lines glaring at her. Closing her eyes, she shook the device violently, hoping one of the lines would go away.

Two lines.

Positive.

Goosebumps ran all over her skin, and she felt her eyes start to water. She was happy, all right- but what now? She can't just go barging into Air Temple Island – not after rampaging through it about a month ago.

How far along was she, anyway? Two months? She had that last encounter with Tenzin two months ago; she remembered walking into her apartment and seeing him seated on the couch, looking glum. Like some twisted custom, small talk turned into a fight, and the fight ended up with both of them having sex and being rough toward each other. Two months it is, then.

Throwing the test kit into the bin, she then looked at herself in the mirror. _Is this how Mom felt when she found out all about me_?

"Apparently the fruit didn't fall far from the tree," she chuckled bitterly to herself. She's twenty nine – blessed with a tall and willowy figure, raven hair and bright, emerald eyes. Everyone would agree that the police chief's daughter was a beauty, and she wasn't ignorant of the whisperings around HQ of what the rookie cops would want to do with her. Like her mother, Lin would at first strike many as being helpless, but once they witness her bending prowess, they were wont to change their opinion, and Lin made sure people _would_ know. For this, she strove hard to rise through the ranks of Republic City's Metalbending Police – everyone would agree that she was almost as brilliant as her mother, the famous Toph Beifong, and that Lin had a promising future ahead of her.

_I have a lot of expectations to live up to, and dozens of plans to fulfill._

_Damn. I wish Tenzin was here._

* * *

><p>She drove all the way through the outskirts of Republic City into the vast expanse of land her mother owned. Lin knew it was a long shot given her rough relationship with Toph (whom she has resorted to calling Chief, instead of Mom), but as she walked into the house, she hoped – prayed, even – that she would finally get a chance at reconciliation.<p>

"Lin?"

Lin couldn't help but smile. The years have been kind to Toph Beifong – even in her late fifties, her senses were still sharp as ever. She watched nervously as her mother's slender frame, so much like her own, stepped into view. "Who's with you, badgermole?" she asked.

"No one, chief," Lin replied.

Toph's face scrunched up – it was the face she made when she knew Lin was lying – "Try again, kiddo."

At that moment, Lin felt that all of the feelings she has repressed for so long finally broke free. With tears in her eyes, she ran to her mother, clinging tightly to her as if she might lose her. "Mom!"

Toph placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "I know. Come in and let's get you fixed up."

Lin surveyed the kitchen, taking in the mingling aroma of jasmine, lavender and mint – scents that reminded her of her childhood; running her hands onto the polished marble counter, she remembered a time when clumsy hands traced imaginary patterns on it. As she shifted her feet around the cold, granite floor, she was surprised to feel little pits and bumps – her first attempts at bending.

It was odd how this place suddenly struck her as both alien and familiar; it was full of pleasant childhood memories and teenage shenanigans – and it was also where she realized she doesn't want to live under the shadow of _the_ Toph Beifong, and that she thought her younger sister Suyin was a total bitch who never cared about the family at all. For the longest time, Lin struggled to get an apartment right at the heart of the city and swore she would never set foot in that house ever again, but here she was.

"Mom, when are you going to get servants?"

It was a silly question, of course. The Beifong home at Republic City was, perhaps, ninety percent rock and metal. Toph Beifong was perfectly capable of "seeing" around the house.

Toph passed her a steaming cup of mint tea. "Servants?"

"I mean, with Su in Gaoling –"

"I'm all alone, you mean."

Lin nodded, watching silently as her mother began steeping tea leaves in another cup.

"Some cleaning lady comes here everyday," Toph continued. "She gets the laundry and cleaning done – not that there's much of it, anyway."

"Right," Lin said curtly.

Silence hung heavy between them, only punctuated by Toph's noisy slurping. Lin nursed her cup of tea, thinking of words to say in order to keep conversation flowing. "I'm sorry."

Toph smiled. "I should be the one saying _that_."

"I failed you, Mom," she whispered.

"Shut it, kid. I'm proud of how you turned out. You're a toughie. You take so much after me," Toph consoled, grinning. "But you gotta work more on your metalbending. I don't like the way you hang one those spool thingies."

"Thanks."

Toph fixed the gaze of her sightless eyes onto her daughter. "Well, aren't you gonna ask me about your father?'

Finishing her tea, Lin replied, "I don't think it's even necessary for me to know who he is. Even if I did, it still won't change the fact that he wasn't around while I was growing up."

"Wow. So it doesn't bug you anymore?"

"Not as much as it used to," she replied. "You're awesome, Mom. You raised Su and I all alone while handling the police. You could've just sent us to live with our grandparents in Gaoling, but you didn't. I don't think I ever told you how grateful I am for everything."

"I know things have been rocky between us –" Toph smiled at the pun, "and I know that I made you feel like you had to uphold this – this Beifong legacy shit, but believe it or not, I don't really care whether you decide to be a badass like your momma, or be some graceful lady like those snobs in Ba Sing Se. If you're happy, then I'm happy. I've been quite a deadbeat mom, I know – and I'm sorry. I just want you and your sister to be free. I want you to choose whatever paths you want for yourselves – to be independent. I never thought this family would end up… _dysfunctional_."

"I guess I tried _too hard_ to be like you, huh?" Lin said, trying to suppress her tears.

"Yep, ya got it down to the single motherhood thing," Toph deadpanned.

"You think it's an earthbender?"

"I won't be surprised if it is," her mom replied. "Depends on the dad, of course."

"It's Tenzin."

Toph sent a stone flag, no doubt a part of the floor, flying through the kitchen. Lin watched, amused, as it smashed through the pots and pans nearby. "Hey! I knew you guys were doing the _thing_, but I thought you were being careful!"

"We _were_, but there was this one time…"

"_Children are blessings!_" her mother interrupted, "and we have to take care of this child no matter what. However, there's still this matter of telling Tenzin."

"I don't think it will do any good to tell him about it," Lin replied. "You know – after I wrecked Air Temple Island and tried to put the girl in jail."

Toph seemed to consider this for a while. "How about a vacation? Summer in Gaoling sounds neat."

"Gaoling sounds great."


	2. Chapter 2

Tenzin read the headline over and over.

_BEIFONG ON-LEAVE, HO-TUN TO TAKE OVER_

The article clearly stated that Toph Beifong, Republic City's Police Chief, has gone on an indefinite leave, passing her duties over to Ho-tun, a colleague and former metalbending student. It also went on to say that Toph took her daughter, Lin Beifong, with her.

"How long do you think they'll be away for?" Katara, his mother, asked.

"It didn't say."

Aang passed a plate of stewed sea prunes to his wife. "It's very much like Toph to go somewhere without telling us. I bet they'll be visiting Poppy in Gaoling."

"I hope they're alright, _especially_ Lin," Katara said, casting a knowing gaze at Tenzin. "The poor girl has had a very stormy relationship with her mother. Perhaps this hints at a reconciliation?"

Aang smiled. "I think so. Besides, didn't Toph send Su to Gaoling earlier? You think going to pick her up?"

Katara nodded silently, scooping another helping of sea prunes onto her plate. "Maybe we should visit them after they get settled. What do you think, Tenzin?"

His eyes absent-mindedly went over the paper, finally setting on two words: _Lin Beifong_.

"Tenzin?"

Surprised, Tenzin jerked away the newspaper from himself, accidentally knocking over some tea. "I just remembered – er – I have – er – meditation, yes – with the acolytes today. Gotta go, Mom. See you later."

"Yes, right – better go then," Aang admonished. "Have a great day, son." He watched as his son, clearly upset, hurried through the door. Then he turned to his wife. "How long has it been, sweetie?"

"Two months," she replied. "You would think he has gotten over Lin, the way he dotes on Pema."

"I guess you never really get over a first love."

* * *

><p>He stood in front of Lin's apartment, hands poised above the door, ready to knock. <em>Maybe she hasn't left yet.<em>

An elderly lady walked up to him, keys in hand. "You must be Master Tenzin! Are you looking for Miss Beifong?"

He nodded, quickly adding, "Lin Beifong, yes."

She turned the knob. "Do come in!" She opened the door wide enough so he could pass through. "They left yesterday – she and Mistress Toph – and they left me the keys so I can go and tidy up this place."

"Well, it looks like you don't have much work to do," Tenzin observed. He noticed that the numerous pictures hanging on the wall were gone, and so was the stuffed air bison toy that used to lay on the couch.

"_I don't know what to get you," Tenzin said, handing her a box. "I don't even know if you'll like this."_

"_Are you kidding me?" Twenty-year old Lin asked, her eyes wide with delight. She has just moved into her own apartment and invited him for a little housewarming party. "I like everything you give me."_

_ He blushed. Lin was wonderfully appreciative of all the things he did for her, bet they great or small. Overtime, he noticed that it was the smallest things that elicited the greatest, most heartfelt responses from her. "Go on, then – I want you to see what it is."_

_ She ripped through the fancy paper and opened the box. "How cute! An air bison!"_

"_I noticed the couch was bare," he mumbled sheepishly._

_ She pushed him down onto the couch, her long legs straddling him. "Not anymore," she said as she kissed him._

"This place is spotless," he said, shaking away the memory of their first night _together_.

"Miss Lin is a _very_organized person," the lady commented. "I just have to clean up the bathroom and I'll be on my way – I swear these molds get hardier during the summer!"

"Did they tell how long they'll be away?"

"Well, Mistress Toph didn't mention anything, but I heard them talking the other day that it would take them perhaps a year – Miss Lin isn't in the best condition lately, you know. She's been all gloomy and brooding. I think Gaoling's cool and mild climate would do her much good."

"It will," he agreed. "I have to go then. Thank you – er – if they ever call to check out on things, could you tell Lin that I came to visit? Have a good day."

"Good day, Master Tenzin," the lady replied.

He was almost at the second floor landing wend he heard the cleaning lady calling after him. Backtracking, he found her lugging a box outside the doorway. "I almost forgot – Miss Lin told me to give this to you if ever you come around. She said these are yours.

"T-thank you," he said, lifting the box (which was rather heavy) and thinking how on earth be could travel via glider with it.

He wondered why, after seeing the tail of a stuffed air bison among the contents, he felt a pang of guilt in his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

"You _what_?!" Suyin exclaimed over dinner that night.

"_Manners,"_ Toph chided in a sing-song voice.

Su took a big gulp of water to compose herself. "So you mean you and Tenzin were doing the _dirty_?"

Lin nodded. "No need to say it out loud, squirt."

"Grandma! Can you believe this?!" Su cried, looking at Poppy Beifong who sat at the head of the table. "Gramps must be rolling in his grave right now."

Poppy smiled, looking wistfully at Lin. "After your mom surprised me by having you girls, I don't think Lin having a baby out of the blue is that much of a shock."

Su leaned towards her sister, trying to get a view of her stomach. "How far along are you, sis?"

"Two, I think. Maybe three? I don't know," Lin replied, watching as Suyin began counting off on her fingers.

"That means… _spirits help me_ – LIN! I'm so sorry!"

"What?"

She pointed at the two scars on Lin's cheek. "I didn't hurt the baby, did I?"

Toph laughed. "It's _babies_ to you, sweetheart!"

Lin looked at her mother, dumbfounded. "Wha – MOM?"

"And here I am thinking I raised you chickadees to be the best earthbenders in the world! I can see my grandkids through my feet, ninnies!" she beamed triumphantly. "I'm quite surprised you haven't heard their hearbeats, Linny."

Lin put a hand and her abdomen, closing her eyes. The vibrations were faint, but they were consistent. "Twins…"

"See what I mean?" said Toph. "I hope they're earthbenders. We could use a few of our kind around."

"_Girl_ earthbenders, mom," Su inserted.

"How about boys?" Poppy said thoughtfully. "We need to keep the Beifong line going after all."

While the three other women bickered on about her coming children, Lin wondered how different things would have been had she accepted Tenzin's marriage proposals – how many had there been? Three? Four?

_Lin opened her eyes to see Tenzin's sleeping form beside her. She just turned twenty-four yesterday, got promoted at work, and Tenzin decided to stay the night so they could have a little "celebration". She nuzzled closer to him, closing her eyes and taking in his scent – he always smelled clean, like citrus and new books and mint. _

_"__Morning," he greeted her groggily, kissing her on the forehead._

_"__What do you want for breakfast?" she asked. "Bacon's mine. You can have all the mixed vegetables you want."_

_He reached for her waist, pulling her closer. "What if I say I want _you_?"Tenzin kissed her lips, nipping lightly on them._

_Lin pulled away. "Tease."_

_"__Let's stay in bed a little longer," he said, gray eyes looking at her intensely._

_Lin metalbent the phone wire from its socket. "I think the boys can handle the area without me for a bit longer."_

_"__Marry me, Lin Beifong."_

_"__Oh come on now, sweetheart," she giggled. _

_Tenzin looked her in the eyes. "I'm serious, Lin. Marry me and make me the happiest man in the world."_

_She kissed him, running her tongue through his mouth until she felt him kissing back. She knew a proposal would come sooner or later, but she wasn't ready. She still has bigger shoes to fill – she had to break free from the shadow of her mother. Finally Tenzin pulled back. "Well?"_

_"__There's time enough for that," she replied, breathless. "I have plans, Ten – so do you. We are young, and we have all the time in the world."_

_He rose from the bed. Tenzin was tall, and despite being a bit on the lean side, Lin admired his broad shoulders and rippling muscles. She even adored the way his tattoos seemed to accentuate his handsome figure even more. "Alright," he said, resignation in his voice._

_"__I'll always be yours, Tenzin."_

_"__I know."_

The first time was the most memorable. If she accepted then, she wouldn't be in this _mess._ Perhaps she'll be at Air Temple Island, taking care of a son or whatever. But during those times, all she cared about was her career, thinking that Tenzin would understand. Tenzin _always_ understands, but Lin now realized that she pushed him too far.

She stroked her belly, rejoicing with each heartbeat she felt. _We'll be okay._


	4. Chapter 4

_Dear Lin,_

_I hope you and Aunt Toph are doing well. I am writing because –_

Tenzin ran his pen furiously over the paper before tearing a hole and finally crumpling it. _Spirits, it's just a simple letter! How hard can it be to write one? _It has been five months since they parted ways, and he thought writing a letter would be easy. Tossing the crumpled piece of paper aside, he opened his drawer to retrieve a fresh sheet. He didn't notice his mother enter the room.

"Is everything alright?"

"Mom!" Tenzin almost fell off his chair.

Katara chuckled. "You look like you've seen a ghost," she joked, stooping to pick up the clutter. "I noticed you were absent from meditation today. Pema has been looking for you – are you sure you're feeling okay?"

Tenzin nodded. "I'm just busy writing letters."

"You haven't written much, from what I see through this mess," she deadpanned. "I'm your mother, Tenzin. I know when something's bothering you."

"It's Lin." He sat on the floor, right beside his mother. With a deep breath, he began – "I'm worried about her, Mom. I learned that Aunt Toph had to take her to Gaoling because she wasn't feeling well – that was five months ago, and have we heard anything from any of them? That's right, _we haven't!_"

Katara sighed, thinking that what she has been worrying over for the past few months was true – Tenzin wasn't over Lin yet. "Perhaps they want to keep matters private."

"There are no secrets between us! She can't just go somewhere without telling me anyth -"

"You forget, son, that Lin and you –"

Tenzin forced out a laugh that ended up sounding halfway between a snort and a sob. "_Right._ What was I even thinking? You know what, Mom? I – I think I am not quite over Lin – over _us_ – quite yet. We grew up together, Mother – and ever since that day, during the Spirit Lights Festival when I was seventeen, I thought we would get married someday and raise a family like you and Dad did. It broke my heart to find out we weren't seeing each other eye to eye anymore."

She gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "Son, priorities change – it happens to everyone. Perhaps Lin has found out what she really wanted. Sometimes you need to realize that people you have known forever won't always see things the way you do."

"What am I supposed to do Mother?"

"Keep the wonderful memories and move on," she replied, making him smile. "I believe there is a girl willing to help you do so."

"Sorry to interrupt," Aang said, running into the room. "But a telegram just arrived."

Katara looked at him anxiously. "What is it, sweetie?"

"It's from Lin -"

Tenzin felt his muscles tense.

"- Toph's mom just passed away."

* * *

><p>Toph went about the funeral preparations swiftly and efficiently, which Lin found marvelous. Suyin, meanwhile, locked herself up in her room – Lin could sometimes hear her wailing. Grandma Beifong (she has never learned to call Poppy any other name) passed away quietly in her sleep the night before, and although Toph Beifong wept a little, she was soon up and about, barking orders here and there.<p>

Honestly, she doesn't know what to feel. Unlike Suyin who grew up doted upon by both grandparents, she only met her grandparents a few times during her childhood. The stigma of their daughter's single motherhood and her _distasteful_ _job_ made sure of that. Her earliest memories of her grandparents included awkward dinners, with her mother inevitably getting into an argument with either Lao or Poppy (or both); Lao or Poppy (or both) walking out the room, fuming; and Lin confused and crying. Lin grew up _hating_ those visits – she thought her grandparents were downright nasty for hurting her mother; it also didn't help when they tried to take Lin away to live with them in Gaoling.

Toph was head of the Beifong family now, and although she was very adept at matters of business and other such trifles, she left all the reading to Lin, because she "could comprehend the jargon well" and because she "had a way with words". Lin asked the servants to dispatch telegrams all over the Earth Kingdom – to close family friends, business partners, and cadet branches of the Beifong family – as well as to the Fire Lord (whom she always called Uncle Zuko) _and_ to the Avatar and his family.

"I wonder if your father has read the telegram yet," she whispered. Lately, she has developed this habit of talking to the babies in her womb. It soothed her, especially now that the pregnancy is beginning to take its toll. A few months ago she could easily do her usual earthbending forms, but now that she was six months into the pregnancy, the best she could manage is to flick rocks here and there – she was getting more and more exhausted even by the slightest exertions.

"A telegram, Mistress Lin," a servant announced.

Lin turned off the radio, which was now playing a rather floozy ballad about a girl lamenting her lost love, and motioned for the servant to hand her the telegram. "Thank you."

_Will come soon as we can. Will stay a night there. We have Oogi._

_Aang._

"Seems to me like we'll be having guests," she began. "I want you to prepare two rooms, one for Uncle Aang and his wife, and another for their son. Make sure to give them the rooms with the widest windows. I want fresh sheets on the beds and the rooms all tidied up before nightfall today."

"Any other requests?" the servant asked.

"Well – Uncle Aang and his son are vegetarians. Prepare food accordingly. Oh, and they'll be bringing an animal as well."

"Animal, milady?"

"A sky bison."

"S-sky bison?"

She snapped the radio on again – thankfully it was playing a different song – "Yes! Sky bison – you know, huge, hairy flying creature? Ugh. Just make sure the stables are clean and stocked with lots of hay and water. Let's deal with it when Oogi's here."

"Of course," the servant walked out of the room, scratching his head, no doubt wondering where to get hay for the huge flying beast.

She turned the volume up.

_And I will wait for your return my love,_

_With open arms and a happy heart;_

_Until then my darling dear_

_I send you all my love._

"Why, this song's even worse than 'Secret Tunnel'!" Lin cried.


	5. Chapter 5

Lin swatted Suyin's hand away. "Stop pinching me, dumbass."

"Ooooh! Aren't you the cutest, Lin? Look at your cheeks! They're so – _pinchable_. Where's Mom, anyway?" she asked. Although Suyin's antics annoyed her most of the time, Lin was happy that her sister finally stepped out of her room – she rather liked this spontaneous Su more than the moping mess wailing in her room two days ago.

"She's out front, as usual. Receiving the mourners," she replied. Ever since arriving in Gaoling, Toph has never left her side. Some nights, when Lin got sleepless, Toph would regale her with her wartime stories and many conquests. Most often, though, she would share some advice on getting through most discomforts of being pregnant. Lin was very thankful for all the effort, and made sure her mother knew.

Suyin, on the other hand, doted on Lin like never before. Whatever issues they had – and there were _a lot_, like Suyin running wild with some Terra Triad dudes – all were forgotten the moment she found out that her sister was "knocked up". Children were indeed blessings, Lin thought. If it wasn't for them, she would still probably be in Republic City, chasing down mobsters and small-time crooks, doing good but never making peace with her own family.

"This is _dreadful_," Su lamented. "I can't believe we lost both Grandma and Grandpa in the same year!" (Lin, admittedly, did not attend Lao Beifong's funeral last spring.)

Although it was common knowledge in Gaoling (and the Earth Kingdom, perhaps) that the present scions of the illustrious Beifong family pretty much did whatever they wanted, Lin knew it didn't automatically translate into acceptance – Toph learned it the hard way. Some members of high society still think their morals are loose, or that the way Toph Beifong turned out was due to a lapse in Poppy and Lao's discipline. Earlier in life, Lin thought the same, but faced with same situation, she now knew that she agreed with her mother. Besides, as Toph put it, they were "earthbending powerhouses", and anyone who talked shit about them would surely agree.

In any case, Toph had asked her to remain in the inner wing of the mansion so Lin could be away from prying eyes and loose tongues. Lin actually didn't mind helping her mother out, but she was glad Toph made her stay there – Lin can never stand the smell of the ladies' perfumes.

"I heard some – er – _special people_ would be coming today," Su told her. "Any bets?"

"No idea," Lin deadpanned, although she knew full well that it would be Uncle Aang and Aunt Katara. On hindsight, she thought it stupid of herself to have a room prepared for Tenzin as well – given their nasty breakup, she was sure he won't be coming.

"Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang, meathead! Who else?" Su noticed the expression on her sister's face turn sour. "Sorry."

"They'd want to see me," Lin said nervously. "They're gonna see me and find out I'm pregnant."

Suyin considered this for a while. "I'm sure we can come up with a convincing excuse – you know, if you don't want to see them. I could just say you're not feeling well."

Lin's frown deepened. "Aunt Katara is a healer, silly."

"_Riiiiiiightttt_."

"Maybe we could talk this over with Mom – _if_ the guests aren't here by dinnertime."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you're not going to stay the night at the Beifongs?" Katara asked Tenzin. They were airborne again, riding among the clouds on Oogi's back.<p>

"I don't think Lin would like me there," he shrugged. "Besides, I promised Pema that I won't be seeing other women while I'm here."

"But Lin isn't just any other woman," Aang said, scooting over to his son. "I know things didn't exactly end well between you guys, but above everything else, she is your bestfriend. Take this opportunity, son, to tie up loose ends and try to fix whatever it is that you can still mend."

Tenzin wanted to disagree with his father, but bit back his tongue at last second. Aang was right – even before they were lovers, he and Lin were bestfriends. However, Tenzin thought that there were no loose ends to tie up; he thought Lin made sure of that when she left for Gaoling.

It didn't take before Gaoling, and the huge Beifong estate, came into view. Tenzin marveled at the vast expanse of gardens and orchards that ensconced the sprawling mansion. Carefully, he guided Oogi onto flat ground near the stables – "Hey, I used to land Appa here all the time," he called out excitedly – where servants, no doubt unaccustomed to seeing a creature as large as Oogi, were waiting. A man who introduced himself as the butler escorted his parents to the tearoom – Tenzin stayed behind to help unload the luggage.

The Beifong family home was a far cry from the manor house that Lin's mother owned back in Republic City. While Toph's house was a hodgepodge of modern and classic architecture, this one was all classical – imperial, even; Toph's yard, where he and Lin spent their afternoons playing, had a chaotic, wild charm to it – here it was all manicured lawns and neatly trimmed hedges.

"Well, well – if it isn't Twinkletoes junior!"

Tenzin spotted Toph Beifong standing just beside Oogi. She looked and _sounded_ much too cheerful for someone who was supposed to be bereaved, he thought. "Hello, Aunt Toph."

"Ugh," she groaned. "I told you not to call me _that_. Twinkletoes and Sugar Queen told me you're out here. So, do you plan on going in or are you gonna wait for the grass to grow? I got some tea prepared for you guys."

"I – aren't you… mad?"

"The fuck are you talking about?" she shook her head. "Puh-_lease_. I'm too old to be dabbling in kid business. Do come in for tea – spirits know I need it. I've been greeting those 'mourners' for as long as I can remember. Leave the luggage to the servants."

Tenzin drew a deep breath as he approached the huge, gilded doors emblazoned with the flying boar of the Beifong Clan. He remembered seeing the same symbol when he was a child in Toph's Republic City manor, and feeling strangely unsettled by it.

Now he just felt downright afraid.


	6. Chapter 6

"Mistress Lin, Mistress Suyin, the Lady Beifong has requested your presence at the tea room," a servant announced. Lin found it irritating whenever they called her "mistress" and when they referred to her mom as "Lady Beifong". Suyin didn't seem to mind.

"What?" Lin asked, noticing that the servant was still at the doorway. She looked at Su, who raised an eyebrow at her. Of course the servant was waiting for an answer. "Oh, yeah – well, er, tell my mom we'll be there in ten – make fifteen – minutes."

The servant left with a bow.

"It used to annoy me all the time too," Su whispered after the servant has closed the door. "This place is so steeped in rules and traditions; it's no surprise Mom ran off with Uncle Aang's team when she was twelve."

Lin had to agree with her sister. The past generations of Beifongs seemed to thrive on tightly structured social norms and etiquette, and it wasn't that much of a wonder when Toph Beifong, with her rebellious streak, tried to break through (which she did successfully, Lin thought)."Help me dress up?" she asked.

Her sister hurried to the closet, choosing among the many clothes in it. After realizing that none of the form-fitting dresses (which were all in vogue back home) would look good on Lin, Su settled on a lightweight, loose dress with a high waistline. She held it out for Lin to see. "Well?"

"S'okay," Lin muttered. She was busy placing bindings on her stomach to make sure her growing belly won't look too obvious. It was getting harder and harder to conceal, and she knew that in a month's time, she won't be able to hide it at all. She took a deep breath and finally secured the binding into place. "Sorry if Mom has to hide you, kiddos."

Su helped her put the dress on. It was made of pastel green silk with silver ribbons on the waist, the hem and the collar. It brought out Lin's emerald eyes and her pale, milky skin. "Su, the collar dips too low," she complained, trying to pull the collar closer to her neck.

"Nonsense! You look great! I wish I had cleavage like yours!" she laughed.

Lin laughed with her sister, agreeing that her breasts did look much fuller than when she was in Republic City. Perhaps it was because of her pregnancy as well.

"Shall we?" her sister asked.

"You won't dress up?"

"Nah," Suyin dismissed. "What I'm wearing is okay. Mom won't see anyway!"

"Stupid!"

Peals of laughter echoed all around as they went down the hall.

* * *

><p>"Is Lin doing fine?" Katara asked as they settled down the table. A servant poured green tea into her cup.<p>

"Dao?"

The servant looked up. "Yes, milady?"

"Could you prepare mint tea for Lin? And make sure to put in a lot of milk, she needs it," Toph requested. "Oh, and make sure it's _steaming_, alright? No sugar, too. Lin hates that."

Dao, whom Tenzin recognized as the butler who greeted them earlier, nodded. _Lin is coming_. Tenzin suddenly found his teacup very interesting. Spirits, everything in the room would be interesting, even the lump now forming in his throat.

"Lin? Oh she's doing fine. That girl took after me the most! I've told you again and _again,_ Katara, that a healthy coating of earth could do _wonders_ to an earthbender," Toph beamed. "She's been hanging out with Suyin a lot – now that's something new, innit?"

"I'm glad everything's fine between them," Aang said, forming a small vortex out of the smoke from his teacup. "How about you, sifu? Feeling better?"

"Well, aside from being sleepless, I feel good. Mother is old, she needed to rest. I'm happy she has passed on – she's already been tormented enough by my exploits," she replied sadly.

"Hey Mom, what's – "

Tenzin looked up. Standing in the doorway with her sister was Lin. She looked good – she gained some weight, evidently – her bosom looked like it was going to burst out of the dress she was wearing. _What am I even thinking? This is the first time I see her in months, and all I can think of are her breasts?!_ He took a sip from his tea, trying to shake the thoughts away, but instead he ended up scalding his tongue. "What's up with him?" he heard Su ask.

"Hello, Aunt Katara, Uncle Aang," Lin said, planting a kiss on Katara's cheek. She then shook hands with Aang. Casting furtive look at him, she mumbled, "Hey, T."

"You gained weight, sweetheart," Katara commented.

Tenzin watched as Lin's cheeks flooded with color. "Er – yeah. It's th-the food here. I've been eating a lot. How's Kya? I haven't heard from her in a while."

As Lin and his mother began catching up, Tenzin noticed how much Lin has changed. Sure, her wit and language (which was almost identical to Toph's) were the same, but in the course of a few months, she acquired a certain glow. It wasn't the way her skin looked like – as far as he was concerned, it was the same, birthmarks and all; or the way her laughter rang in the room. It was _something_ else. Perhaps Gaoling was good for her, after all.

"Hey sis, you want some fruit pie?" Su asked, pushing a plate of fruit pie towards her sister. Lin wrinkled her nose, looking at it in disgust.

"Don't we have anything else? I hate fruit pie – mom, can I have some of those chilled peaches instead?" she asked. Toph acquiesced, nodding at the general direction of the servants.

"You hate fruit pie now?" Tenzin found himself asking the question before he knew it. The lively chatter suddenly died.

"I do," Lin replied, not even batting an eyelash at him.

"Oooooo-kay – where was I?" Aang asked, breaking the sudden tension.

"The funeral rites," Toph replied. "I was planning on having the remains cremated, like Father's, and then I'll just put the urn into the family crypt. You'll be sticking up for the funeral tomorrow, won't you?" Aang and Katara both nodded their heads. "Lin had your rooms prepared, haven't you, darling?"

"Yes."

Lin's peaches finally arrived, served on a silver platter filled with shaved ice. Tenzin watched as she cut one up, and, as was her custom, ate the peach in a very unladylike manner."I forgot to tell you that I plan on spending the night in town," Tenzin began.

"What? Why? The house is big – we can all fit in here," said Su.

"I have some business in town," he lied, almost slapping himself for making such a lame excuse. Lin remained quiet, seemingly engrossed in a peach pit she just spat out. Either that, or she might be wondering what that business might be.

"Try again, junior," Toph chided.

_Right –_ Tenzin forgot that Toph could detect whether people were being true or not, based on the subtle changes in their heartbeats. It was an incredible skill, and Tenzin had no doubt he passed this on to both daughters, who were just as prodigious as Toph was in earthbending. _No wonder Lin looked so calm_. "But I _really_ have to stay in town tonight," he insisted.

Lin looked up from her peaches and arched an eyebrow at him. "Listen, _baldy_ –" it was a nickname she had for him, "- if you don't want to stay here, it's fine. Quit your whining."

Tenzin winced as his mother glared at him. He quietly resigned himself to what was quickly promising to be a long night. More than that, he was a bit hurt that Lin won't even prevent him from staying the night somewhere else.

Maybe she was really over him.


	7. Chapter 7

The day of Poppy's burial dawned cold and crisp, with mist still hanging in the air in swirly patches. Tenzin brushed away sleep from his eyes. He was still tired from yesterday's journey, but it didn't surprise him when he wasn't able to sleep a wink the night before – the fact that he was sleeping under the same roof with Lin made sure of that. He remembered the last time he did – almost seven months ago, when they were both trying to convince themselves that they could make everything work.

_Her smooth, milky skin seemed all aglow, even more so with moonlight illuminating it. They had a go at each other again – broken vases and picture frames were scattered all over the floor of her apartment. "I don't want children!" she screamed again and again until Tenzin silenced her with a kiss._

_She was atop him, her hips gyrating and bucking to the rhythm of their mingled moans and sighs. He ran a hand on her tiny waist, her taut abdomen, wondering how on earth could Lin despise the fruits of their arduous lovemaking, and yet enjoy the act itself. He forgot it all when she exhaled his name and collapsed on his chest, her heart beating wildly, her cheeks flushed with color._

"_You'll always have me," she whispered, her long fingers gripping him like she would never let go._

_Tenzin pulled her closer, trying to convince himself that this was what he wanted. "Always."_

It still haunted him, even in his daydreams.

But he has Pema now – sweet, innocent Pema, the complete opposite of Lin. She was gentle where Lin was rough, calm where Lin was tempestuous. Pema who would gratefully change her life if it meant making him happy. And Pema wanted children as much as he did.

* * *

><p>Lin felt her stomach roll as soon as she rose from bed. "Damn this morning sickness," she muttered, quickly making her way to the bathroom. It's been like this almost everyday. "When will I see you guys?" She felt one of them kick. <em>Three months more,<em> she thought, holding up her hair as she retched last night's dinner into the toilet.

Changing into a loose robe, she stepped out. Since she wasn't allowed to do her usual training routine in her state, she decided to head to the rock garden to practice some of the "lighter" stances. Eschewing slippers, she sighed contentedly as she felt the cool, dew-laden ground beneath her feet. Like her mother, she always felt more connected – more _grounded_ – whenever she felt the earth against her bare skin. "I wonder if you guys will be earthbenders like me – or what if one of you take after your dad? Can you imagine the mess we'll be in?"

For a few months now, she had been entertaining pleasant little scenarios in her mind of little barefoot feet kicking rocks around; little hands first discovering how amazingly pliable metal can be – sometimes too, she'd imagine something different; most of the time it involves a certain grey-eyed little Beifong causing mischief while riding an air scooter.

As she set foot into the rock garden, she felt someone else at the far end. She sent a wave through the rocks in an attempt to topple whoever it was intruding in what she claimed as her "personal space".

"Hey – ow!" Tenzin's voice echoed throughout the garden.

"_What the fuck are you doing in here_?!" she screamed, doing something between a walk and a run to get where Tenzin was. Apparently, the rake he was using to make patterns in the rocks fell over his head when Lin toppled him.

He smoothed his robes as he rose. "I can't sleep."

"Been here all night?"

He shook his head.

"Well – I guess I'd better leave you to your _spiritual_ stuff, then," Lin turned to go, knowing full well that staying another moment more might lead to a sparring session. She paused, however, when she saw the patterns on the rocks. "You should really continue making those. They're quite lovely," she remarked, hoping she didn't sound sarcastic.

"Lin –"

"Good day, Tenzin."

* * *

><p>Tenzin continued tracing patterns until the sun got higher up on the horizon. It was about eight in the morning when he put down the rake in frustration because he couldn't get the lines straight. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, she found himself a boulder on which to sit on. Dao soon appeared, bearing a tray of food in his hand. "Mistress Lin sends her compliments."<p>

Tenzin took the tray and stared at its contents – there was a tall glass of ice-cold lemon tea and two pieces of sweet steamed buns, both of which are his favorite snacks. He smiled at the thought of Lin preparing the food for him (even if it wasn't very likely – servants were at her beck and call here). Memories flooded his mind as vividly as if they happened only yesterday.

"_You look like an idiot when you smile," Lin laughed as they made their way through the crowd. He was seventeen, she was sixteen. Both of them were bundled up in furs, enjoying the sights and sounds of the Spirit Lights Festival. Lin's cheeks were red from the cold._

_Tenzin led her to a quiet place, away from the crowd._

"_What's up, baldy?" she asked, huffing as she tried to keep with him._

_He took her hand and smiled. "Oh, you'll see soon enough."_

_Lin surveyed her surroundings through squinted eyes. "Look at all this snow!" she laughed. Tenzin always loved her laugh – it wasn't trilling or high-pitched, like other girls' laughs – it was a sort of deep, earthy laughter. Somehow it sounded more sincere to his ears. Lin dug her feet into a nearby drift. "Where's the earth? No wonder Mom said she was even blinder here!"_

_Tenzin just grinned, watching as his surprise began lighting up the sky. "Look up, Linny."_

_She punched his arm, clearly annoyed. "We're not twelve anymore! Stop calling me – WOW."_

_Both of them watched in reverent silence as the Spirit Lights danced across the sky, undulating like curtains thrown about by a careless breeze. Tenzin watched, transfixed, as the changing lights illuminated Lin's face._

"_Beautiful," she gasped, turning to him. "This is awesome, Ten."_

"_Not as beautiful – or as _awesome_ – as you," he said, heat rising to his cheeks. Awkwardly, he held Lin's face by the chin and kissed her lips._

"_WHOA," she exclaimed, pulling away from him, her cheeks even more aflame. "What was that for? I thought we were here to see the lights."_

_He felt a chill run down his spine. Perhaps Lin didn't even see him in _that_ way. "I'm sorry… er – forget that ever happened okay? It's just the wine."_

_Lin reached for him and held onto his hands tightly. "I went here because I was looking for an answer. I hoped the spirits would grant me that," she kissed him this time, deeper and more passionate. _

"_I love you, Lin. I have loved you since we were kids. I love you now and I will never love anyone else but you."_

"_You know what the spirits told me?" she said, resting her head on his shoulder._

"_What?"_

"_They said yes."_

* * *

><p>It was midday when they trekked to the little hill where the Beifong crypts were located. Tenzin wondered aloud why Lin was being carried in a palanquin – Su answered him by saying Lin has been feeling horrible all day and can't stand the heat. Aang and Toph had gone ahead to build the pyre, along with the other Air Acolytes who came to say final blessings.<p>

"Is Lin alright?" he asked once more, clearly annoying his cousin who was fashioning stairs by the hillside using her bending.

Suyin smacked the back of Tenzin's head. "Spirits, Tez! Haven't you asked that enough already? I told you Linny is _not_ okay. Why don't you go work on your tattoos or something? Ugh!"

As soon as the party – consisting of Tenzin, Suyin, and Lin with her palanquin-bearers – reached the top of the hill, Aang beckoned for his son to join him. Lin stayed under the shade of a huge tree, seating herself on one of its massive roots, while Suyin quickly made a beeline for her mother.

"Today we bid Poppy Beifong, beloved wife to Lao, mother to Toph, and grandmother to Lin and Suyin…" Tenzin could barely hear the words because of Suyin's wailing, and try as he might, he felt quite out of sync when his father, together with the Air Acolytes, began chanting. Discreetly, he looked over to where Lin was – she was standing in the shade now, her long dress billowing around her in the wind. Although her face retained its usual hard, stoic façade, her eyes sparkled with tears, betraying her completely.

Finally, Aang set the pyre ablaze.

"See you soon, Mother," said Toph, wiping a tear away from her cheek.

Tenzin looked back at Lin only to find out she has retreated into the palanquin and had drawn the silk curtains closed.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

Hi guys! I know you've been wanting Tenzin to find out, BUUUUUT i'm just kinda building up the tension for a bit, so I thought I'd write some LinZin fluff for you in this chapter! I hope you guys had a fun time reading!


	8. Chapter 8

Plans to go back to Republic City that same day were foiled by the weather turning horrid during the afternoon: it was nearly winter, and freezing rain seemed to pour down in buckets – the drops so dense one would find it quite difficult to see where one was going. After making sure the Air Acolytes who joined in the funeral were comfortable in their quarters, Tenzin, who was quite giddy to leave, retreated into his room, feeling rather dejected.

Suyin had some clothes laid out for him, as he had only packed enough to last him an overnight stay. The garments lay on his bed, crisp and neatly folded. He made a mental note to thank his cousin later.

"I think something is _very_ different with Lin," he heard his mother talking somewhere down the hall. Although he wasn't one to pry, he soon realized he was bending the air so that the sound of his mother's voice reached his ears more clearly. Something _was_ different with Lin, and he was glad that he wasn't the only one who noticed.

"She's just having fun here," Aang replied.

Katara was quiet for a while. "I think… Lin is _with child_, sweetie!"

Somewhere in the corridor, Tenzin heard his father gasp. He had a mind to close the door at that moment, but figured out that he had to hear more.

"Look at her!" Katara continued. "I was like that when I was carrying Ten!"

Tenzin heard his father's robes rustling – obviously Aang was becoming more and more uncomfortable with the flow of conversation. "That's impossible," he dismissed, but Katara pressed on.

"I don't think so. She and Tenzin have lived together since Tenzin was twenty-five. Of _course _they could've done it loads of times."

"Listen to yourself, Katara! What would Toph…"

Tenzin quickly shut the door. _Lin is pregnant?_ He asked himself again and again. He even did the math: six months had passed since their last encounter; five since she wrecked Air Temple Island; and four since she left Republic City unexplained. She has gained weight. She now hated food that she used to like so much – and what was she doing wearing all those loose, flowing dresses?!

_Lin is pregnant._

He sat on the floor, letting it all sink in.

"Lin is pregnant with _my _child," he muttered, his lips quivering with every word.

* * *

><p>Lin didn't turn up for dinner that night, and the food Toph sent to her room was sent back untouched. The rain finally let up, and Toph figured Lin must be outside, earthbending as a way to calm her nerves. Sure enough, she found her elder daughter skipping pebbles on a pond, her bare feet making soft squelching noises in the mud. "Hey kid – you okay?"<p>

"Yeah mom – just a bit tired," she replied, sending dozens of shiny white pebbles flying across the pond.

Toph clambered on top of a nearby boulder, seating herself on it. "Go easy on the training, little badgermole."

"Goodness, Mom! I'm twenty-nine and you still call me that?" Lin laughed. "I was ten when I last heard it from you."

Toph grinned, fondly remembering times when both of them were younger, and she had her daughter all to herself. "Were you? Wow. Isn't it amazing how time flies, Lin? One moment I was holding a snotty baby and now that snotty baby's gonna have snotty babies of her own!"

She leaned on the boulder where Toph was seated, closing her eyes and feeling the damp air on her cheeks. "What if they're airbenders, mom?"

Toph made a huffing noise. "_Your_ dad was a non-bender. When I was pregnant with you, I thought, _if this kid turns out to be a non-bender_, _I'm gonna abandon her sorry ass at the orphanage._"

Lin stared at her mother, incredulous. "You wouldn't! How could you, Mom?! You were gonna throw me away?!"

"Course not!" Toph laghed, ruffling Lin's hair. "I told myself that whatever you turn out to be, it won't make me love you any less. But looking at things now, I regret not throwing you away."

"Shut it Mom," Lin said, laughing with her mother. "I'm just thinking how I'll handle having airbender kids – I mean, I _do _know the basic forms, growing up with Tenzin; but it's gonna be different, you know? I've always thought airbenders are these really spiritual people and… well, you know – I'm really not into that spirit-y stuff as most people are. Won't it look…_ odd_ seeing _me_ trying to raise an airbender kid?"

"What's odder than seeing a blind, unmarried girl raising a daughter?" Toph asked. "I was a free spirit – still am – before I got pregnant. I spent lots of nights up, thinking how on earth am I going to raise you because, one: I am blind; two: I have a demanding job; and three – well I really don't have a number three. In the end, being a mother to you came to me just as naturally as breathing does. Don't worry, badgermole. It will happen to you too."

"People are gonna ask, Mom."

Toph began absent-mindedly levitating some rocks in front of them. "Which reminds me – you have a lot of explaining to do, sweet cheeks. I heard Katara and Aang arguing earlier. I think Katara knows about you." She sent a jagged piece of rock splashing into the pond, disturbing some turtleducks at rest. "I asked them what they were arguing about over dinner earlier, but they told me it was about something else – of course they're lying – _I know_."

Lin sighed. "You think I should come clean, Chief?"

"You know what they say, hotshot: _A smart man makes a mistake, learns from it and never makes that mistake again. But a wise man finds a smart man and learns from him how to avoid the mistake altogether_. I am not too smart, Lin, and I know that keeping you in the dark about who you dad is has plagued you all your life, and almost estranged you from me and Su. So you gotta listen to me, because I'm telling you now that _I don't want you doing the same mistakes I did_. You're gonna be a mom soon – do you want your kids suffering the same way as you?"

Lin shook her head. "I don't want to – I dunno – _confuse_ Tenzin? Su told me he's already engaged to the air acolyte and they're to be married in spring," she stroked her belly, as if seeking comfort from the babies inside her. "Tenzin is happy now, Mom. I don't want to destroy that happiness by telling him all about this."

"They're leaving at first light tomorrow," Toph told her. "Just thought you'd wanna know." _So you could get up your sorry ass, tell Tenzin the truth and let him help you sort everything out_, she wanted to add.

_I am a horrible mom,_ Toph thought.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong> There you have it guys! Tenzin has found out! Watch out for the next chapter.


	9. Chapter 9

Tenzin walked along the hall barefoot, pausing every now and then as the wooden floors creaked under his weight. If he wanted answers, he had to get them tonight.

Lin was abed, sobbing quietly in the darkness. Toph and Su had long retired to their own rooms, and the only company she had was the old phonograph which was playing _their_ song. The twins seemed to feel her distress – Lin could feel them moving in her stomach, giving a kick every few minutes. "Don't worry, badgermoles," she sniffed. "Mom's okay. She's just a bit upset."

_Dad wasn't joking when he told me this house is huge,_ Tenzin thought. In the semi-darkness, the corridors went on forever, and the alcoves and covered walkways seemed endless. For a moment, he feared he was lost; he breathed a sigh of relief when he found himself in the rock garden. He made his way through the garden to another crest-emblazoned door, figuring it must lead into the family wing. Quietly, he tried to push it open – much to his surprise, he found it unlocked.

She weighed things in her mind over and over again. She could tell Tenzin, yes – but what good would it do? He was engaged to Pema. Will he be so callous as to disregard the engagement (and Pema's feelings) to marry her for the sake of the kids? _Is he even in love with me still? Spirits, what if he _did_ leave Pema? What would everyone think of him then?_

"Fuck, what if both of you are airbenders?" she muttered. Everyone knows that the only airbenders in the world are Tenzin and Aang as much as everyone knew about her previous relationship with the Avatar's son. If she gave birth to an airbender, it would confirm her children's paternity. _It would throw everything I worked for in chaos._

Her muscles tensed as she heard someone walking right outside the hallway. The footsteps, although familiar, seemed unidentifiable to her. Surely they can't be Su's – she retreated to bed hour ago, and she definitely didn't go wandering about the house at night. She placed a foot on the marble floor, silently thanking her mother for having the entire flooring of the family wing changed from wood to marble. The footsteps were light, but too heavy to be her mother's; the heartbeat accompanying them was fast, and whoever owned the footsteps seemed to aimlessly shuffle about. Wiping tears from her eyes, she stealthily crept towards her door and slid it open.

It was Tenzin.

"May I come in?"

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

_I do love a good tease. :D_


	10. Chapter 10

Tenzin coming through her doorway would have been the last thing she wanted months ago, but it was different back then – she was heartbroken and couldn't see things clearly. Now she was just plain confused. She let him pass and flicked on a night light as he did, bathing the room in pale, green glow.

He stood nervously at the foot of her bed, looking strangely out of element in Earth Kingdom clothing. He was rubbing his arms vigorously, giving the impression of someone feeling really cold. "It's awful chilly tonight," he remarked with a slight quiver in his voice.

Lin made her way to the windows, closing each of them swiftly. The hairs at the back of her neck stood on end, and she had this nagging sensation that Tenzin was following her every move. She was sure that if his eyes could burn into her, they already did. "You can sit on my bed if you want," she told him, trying hard not to make eye contact as she put a robe over her sleepwear.

He muttered thanks and sat at the foot of her bed. Lin climbed in and covered herself with the blanket. She was quite unnerved by such a late-night visit, and the thought of Tenzin seeing her bare arms and her bosom made her feel queasy, even though Tenzin has seen it all – and probably memorized her body in every detail.

"I heard my mother earlier," he began. "She was arguing with my Dad. I hope you won't take offense, but Mom thinks you're –"

"_Pregnant."_

Tenzin looked at her, his gray eyes unwavering. "Is it…?"

Lin looked down at her sheets, resisting the urge to look him in the eye. She bit her lip sharply, relishing the taste of iron slowly seeping in her mouth. _We have iron in our veins_, her mother boasted. _We are steadfast, strong, unyielding_. _We are Beifongs_. But why is she faltering now? She has to let Tenzin know that she doesn't need him anymore and that he had no business meddling with her life after he left her.

"Lin, tell me."

_Just tell him, Lin. Look him in the eye and tell him you don't need him_.

"You not the only one I shared my bed with, Tenzin," she told him, trying to make it sound like a matter of fact.

Tenzin didn't move – her words seemed to have frozen him for a moment. "We both know you are lying," he said shakily. "I know you are trying to hurt me, Lin." He turned towards her, trying to see her face to face, but she averted his gaze and covered her face with her hands. "Face me, Captain Beifong."

_Shit,_ Lin thought. This was a fight she was bound to lose, no matter how hard she tried. It was apparent that Tenzin had no intention of letting the issue pass so easily.

"I did the math. You are pregnant with _my_ child, aren't you?"

"And if I say yes?!" Lin screamed. "Will that change the fact that we chose to live our lives apart, Tenzin? Will that change the fact that you are getting married to _that girl?! She's a child, Tenzin! _What does she have that I don't, huh – _what made you betray me?!"_ Tears finally burst from her eyes. Lin clenched her fists, wanting to punch Tenzin's face – wanting him to know all the hurt he has made her suffer for the past months.

"_You _made me leave our relationship," he said rather calmly. "My greatest dream was for you to be my wife and be the mother of my children. I wanted to grow old with you, Lin. But it's that stupid pride – that _Beifong legacy_ of yours that made me think twice."

She slapped his face, her hand leaving a bright splotch of color on his cheek. "Don't you _dare_ drag my family into this," she hissed.

"Pema is perfect for me." Tenzin told her. There was a certain conviction in his voice that sent daggers to Lin's heart. "She is all that you are not. _You _have kept me in the dark for so long, Lin! Can't you see that? I _wasted_ many years of my life thinking just about where we stand – I made a fool of myself for thinking you would want to marry me. Why don' you admit it, Lin? You are married to your career."

"At least it won't leave me for some _mare_ so it can breed," she retorted sharply.

"_Dammit, Lin Beifong!"_ Tenzin took her by the shoulders and shook her hard. "_Why don't you just look into my eyes and tell me whether that child is mine or not?!_"

"_THEY ARE MINE! MINE ALONE!"_

Silver met emerald in a confused gaze.

"They are my children," Lin whispered, sobbing. "_My_ children, Tenzin. I grew up without a father and I turned out fine. Mother raised me all on her own, and I am determined to the same without _your_ help."

_They_? Tenzin couldn't believe what he just heard. Could Lin probably be carrying twins? "I don't understand."

"You don't need to," Lin replied, wiping her tear-streaked face. Her cool exterior was back, and so was her trademark scowl. Tenzin listened to her ragged breathing, wanting so much to wrap his arms around her just like he always did when Lin was distressed. "I used to… not want them, you know?" she said when she was finally calm. "When you left, I thought I'd lost everything that mattered to me."

Tenzin shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"So I made it a point to pour my heart out to my job, the only world I knew outside of – of – of _us_. The day I found out I was pregnant, I felt lost – more lost than when I realized we were over. I'm twenty nine, and well on my way up the Metalbending police – the general shit you'd hear from me all the time, I guess. I told myself, _hey, I can't be a single mother_. I was worried I might end up like my mom. But when I first felt those tiny hearts beating deep inside me, I found out that – as cynical as I am – I can love."

She laughed – to Tenzin, it was a breeze that seemed to kill all the tension in the air. Here was the Lin he grew up with, the Lin he built his dreams upon, long ago. He felt electricity course through his body as Lin reached for his hand, placing his palm on top of her stomach. _This is it,_ he thought. _This was the answer I've been looking for_.

"Can you feel them, Tenzin?"'

He closed his eyes, trying to feel the heartbeats she so adored.

"I can love again, Tenzin. And I would never love anyone as much as I would love them. They're all I have," she said, smiling to herself.

"But if –"

"I don't want you to leave Pema. I am happy for you – I really am. I'm sorry if it had to be this way, Ten."

Tenzin's mind flooded with images of a certain air acolyte with auburn hair and dark eyes – a woman who was ready to build a future with him – and his childhood love, the woman he still considered as his twin soul, tall and pale and raven-haired, who was letting him go. He had a mind to kiss her one last time, just to convince himself that the flame was still there – that the embers, dying as they are, could once again be fanned to life – but thought better of it. Instead, he held on to her hand like it was lifeline.

"_Ni ai wo ma_?"

How he loved it when Lin spoke the Old Language of the Earth Kingdom! It sounded so fluid and melodic when she spoke it. "_Ni shi wo de meng zhong qingren_," he replied. Lin moved closer, placing her head on his shoulder. He squeezed her hand. "You still are."

"Stay with me?" she asked. "For the last time?"

He knew what he was doing was wrong, but he found himself climbing into bed with Lin, locking her in a deep embrace.

Lin closed her eyes, fighting back tears as she realized that this would probably be the only glimpse she would have of a life that Tenzin had envisioned for both of them – a life that he would soon be living with someone else.

* * *

><p>When she woke up and felt the cold spot where he had lain, Captain Lin Beifong, the shining star of Republic City's Metalbending Police, knew that it was too late.<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Suyin entered her older sister's room that morning to find a sobbing, disheveled mess. "I got you some milk and bread, in case you were hungry," she spoke softly, patting Lin's back. She set the tray on the nightstand. "Care to spill?"

"I knew it," Toph entered the room, languidly walking towards Lin's bed. "I heard screaming last night. I knew it was you and Twinkletoes Junior – kinda figured out it would only take a little time for things to reach boiling point between you guys. You were bound to fuck up sooner or later."

"So – you told him?" Su asked. Lin nodded weakly. "And what did he say?"

"He – he s-said he didn't understand."

Su slammed a fist on the bed. "What kind of fucked up response is that?! He should be made accountable for his actions. He can't just leave you like this –"

"Su. I told him to – to leave me, to marry Pema and go on with his life," Lin told her sadly.

"Aw, you poor dear!" Su hugged her sister. "You love him still, don't you?"

For the first time in years, Lin allowed her sister's warmth to radiate throughout her body – she didn't pull away from Suyin's embrace. It seemed to her that the bond they used to share as children was slowly coming back, and Lin took comfort in it.

"Mom."

"Yeah?"

"What was it like?" Lin asked, looking up at her mother.

"What?"

"When you were pregnant and living on your own," she clarified.

Toph climbed into the bed, right beside Lin, resting her feet on one of the bedposts. "Oh, you know me, hotshot – Toph Beifong, the _greatest_ earthbender in the world, all independent and strong and snarky and all that badass shit. All of it is true, of course; but there was a time when I felt that my earthbending prowess could do me no good."

* * *

><p><em>She felt him roll over to his side of the bed, his breathing heavy from his release. "This is a mistake. I have a wonderful wife and she's waiting for me back home."<em>

_Toph was fumbling around, trying to find her clothes. _Damn this shaggy carpet,_ she cursed, trying to ignore the words she had heard just moments ago. She was feeling hot and sore from the urgency of her partner's exertions, and she couldn't wait to wash herself off. They've been doing this for _years_, but until now Toph was amazed at all the carnal lust they unleashed upon each other every single time they met. _

_She's twenty-five, he's thirty. "_Thirty and married," _she corrected herself. What started as a professional partnership between his refinery and the Beifong Metalbending Academy soon blossomed – or rather, _spiraled_ – into strings of midnight trysts and unexplained weekend getaways._ "_Mistake? We've been fucking for years, Satoru. I thought you already knew," she smirked._

"_Look – why don't we pretend this didn't happen? I want my life back, Toph."_

_Something in her snapped – apparently all those years of discreet displays of affection were for naught. 'Oh, so you want your life back, is that it? Fine. Go back to your wife and go _fuck_ her or something. Go back to your pathetic excuse of a family and tell them – _TELL THEM YOU'VE BEEN _FUCKING_ YOUR BUSINESS PARTNER. _Tell them what an amazing lay I am, and how I keep your bed warm during your visits to Republic City -"_

_She sensed his hands, reaching out for her. "Toph…"_

"_And while you're at it, why don't you go tell them that the Chief of Police is your whore?"_

"_I love you, Toph."_

_She punched him in the face, feeling something warm and smelling like metal trickle down her fist. "Is that what you tell yourself, huh? Is that what you say to justify fucking me?"_

"_Shut it!" he screamed. Toph felt the vibrations of his voice reverberate all around her. "I love you, Toph. If I could change this situation we're in, I would."_

_She bent her uniform on and headed out of his suite, slamming the door as hard as she could._

_A month later, she felt the unmistakable vibrations of a heart, furiously beating and keeping in time with her own._

* * *

><p>Lin couldn't believe what she just heard. "Sa-Satoru? The business partner? <em>That <em>guy is my dad?!"

"Fire nation rich guy, that's the one," Toph added nonchalantly. "Those yuans in _your_ account didn't appear by magic, sweet cheeks."

"Unbelievable – I thought that cash was yours, Mom!"

Toph sat up and laughed. "Hey, I know we're rich, but why would I go keeping my money in _your_ account when I have my own? Anyway, Satoru died childless – by his wife, I mean. Before passing on, he willed half of his estate, in secret, to you. Aside from that, he regularly sent me cheques for 'child support' –" Toph huffed – "Who did he think he was anyway?! He kept sending me those cheques as if _I_ can't afford to raise you!"

Su's eyes widened. "_Wow_. You didn't tell me you're rich."

"I thought it was Mom's cash!"

"I tried sending those cheques back to him, but he won't take them – so I had them cashed out and kept the money in a bank, under my name, so you could have some sort of nest egg when you grow up," their mother explained. "Can I continue now?"

* * *

><p><em>It caused quite a scandal in Republic City when Chief Toph Beifong announced that she was pregnant out of wedlock. Katara would come to headquarters everyday to read the paper to her, and aside from the relevant goings-on in the city, Toph's name was across the pages, along with speculations of who the father of her child might be. Toph just let them talk – after all, she wasn't one to bother herself with gossip. Besides, she was determined to raise the kid on her own, and she wanted to do a damn fine job as a mother.<em>

_So she trudged on, week after week, even as her swelling belly made it harder for her to do her job at the force. Satoru came to her, wanting to sort things out, but Toph had driven him away – so much was her resolve to raise the kid on her own. Toph was well into her eighth month of pregnancy when Katara, finally having had enough of her bull-headedness, told her to file for leave or risk losing the baby._

_After much dilly-dallying, she moved to Air Temple Island, allowing Katara to keep a closer eye on her health. The island, though peaceful and calm, was rather monotonous and boring to her, and Toph relished the time when her bestfriend Sokka would come over. It was during those moments that she felt like she was twelve again, carefree and happy._

_Sokka didn't ask her who the baby's father was – and even if he did know, he never mentioned it. He did, however, talk about the baby's future a lot._

"_What are you gonna call the baby?" he asked. Toph remembered that day – winter was almost over and she could smell the first few plum blossoms hanging from the trees. The puffin-gulls that left the island for warmer climes have returned, and she could hear their screeching from the distance._

"_Oh, I dunno. I never really thought of that," she replied, dangling her toes in the cold waters of Yue Bay. "Let's see… how about _Wang Fire?"

"Really funny,_" Sokka said. "_Ha-ha."

"_Wang Fire sounds good," she said, egging him on._

"_Katara said it's gonna be a girl."_

"_Shame… I loved that name. _Wang Fire!" _she cackled merrily. "How about I name her Suki?" Toph felt her companion tense up. Something was wrong. "Hey. You okay?"_

_Sokka sighed. "She broke up with me."_

"_Oh."_

"_She said she can't handle having a demanding job and a long distance relationship all at once – HUH! So what should we call your baby?"_

_Toph wondered if the breakup was the reason Sokka began spending more and more time in Air Temple Island. She listened absent-mindedly as he rattled on a list of names, some of which sounded great, whereas the rest sounded awful. "How about we name her Saiha?" she suggested._

"_What a mouthful!"_

"_Nikki? Ren? Ai? _Lin_?" Toph felt her baby kick. "Sokka! Sokka did you feel it?"_

"_Er, excuse me – _not pregnant _here."_

_Toph placed a hand on her belly. "My baby. I felt her kick when I said the name Lin. I think she likes it."_

_Suddenly, she felt Sokka's callused hand on her stomach too. "Hello there, Lin Beifong," he said lovingly._

"Ooooooooh!" Suyin squealed, her eyes sparkling with delight. "Was that the moment you realized you loved Dad?"

"No, pipsqueak. That was much, much later," Toph replied, still fondly remembering that day.

_It was a crisp spring day when she took to her bed, unable to walk because of the sharp pain coursing through her body. Every muscle of hers seemed to cramp, and by the time Katara attended to her, Toph was moaning in agony._

"_The baby's coming!" Katara told her excitedly._

"_Is Aunt Toph going to die?" asked Bumi. Among Aang's kids, Toph liked Bumi the best. The kid was precocious and smart, not to mention a master prankster. Toph thought the kid took after his uncle Sokka._

"_No, of course not, sweetheart – now, why don't you run along and play outside with Daddy and Kya?" Katara suggested. _

_Toph heard Bumi's footsteps exiting the room, and smiled when she heard him scream: "Hey Kya! Mom says Aunt Toph is not gonna die!"_

_Sokka soon rushed in and sat by her, whispering words which were meant to calm her down. _

"_Sokka! You're not supposed to be here! You have to wait outside!" Katara scolded._

"_Not leaving 'til Chief's okay," he argued, even as his sister started pushing him away. Toph felt another contraction and winced. "See! She's not _okay_!"_

_Katara set the last of her equipment at the foot of Toph's bed. "Don't make me use a water whip on you, Sokka! I told you you're not supposed to be here!"_

_Sokka gave Toph's hand a final squeeze in an effort to reassure her. "You'll be fine," he said, running off to the door. _

_Katara slid the door shut and returned beside Toph. "Now, I need you to listen carefully, Toph. The baby's coming any moment now – I want you to take deep breaths and try to calm yourself."_

"I AM CALM!" _she screamed. "_Shit_, Katara! How could you have three kids?! This giving birth _thing_ hurts like – _AAAAAAAAAAAARGH! _Make it stop, make it stop – oh shit, shit, shit – I swear when I – _FUCK THIS – AAAAAAAAARGH!_"_

"_I'm going to count one to three, okay?" Katara told her calmly._

"_This kid's gonna kill me, I swear!"_

"_Come on Toph, stay with me! I'll count one to three – I need you to push a bit harder. Let's help the baby get out, okay?"_

"_O-on th-three or after?" Toph panted._

"_Anytime you want," Katara replied. "On three – one, two, three!"_

_Toph couldn't believe it – this baby inside her is actually trying to rip her apart! She screamed profanity upon profanity as she pushed harder, willing the baby to come out. She unwittingly sent pieces of the stone floor flying all around her with each clenching of her fists, something Katara didn't appreciate too much. She heard the clock announce the coming of the hours, but it seemed like the baby had no intention of coming._

"_Oh no –" she heard Katara whisper._

_Toph's heart skipped a beat. "Wh-What? What is it?!"_

"_Your baby –"_

_Toph's fears had come true. The baby was dead – and it most certainly was her fault. "Is she dead?! Is my baby dead?!"She started sobbing the moment the thought entered her mind._

_Katara hurried to her, handing her a glass of water. "No, no – she's fine. But the position's not right. She's coming out feet first." Toph heard her sigh. "This is going to be more difficult than I thought it would be."_

_Toph heard Katara go to the door again. "SOKKA! Sokka come here!" she called out, stepping out of the room for a while. _

_Toph was left all alone, all sore and panting. "Come on baby, we can do this!" she screamed. "We're a team, you and I. Work with me here!"_

"_Hey! I told you to close your eyes! I'm gonna let you in here to support Toph, alright? Close your eyes first!" she heard Katara heatedly talking to her brother right outside the door._

"_Sokka?" Toph called out._

_The moment he heard Toph calling out, Sokka opened the door and ran to her bedside. Toph couldn't help but break into a smile when she heard her bestfriend's voice. "Let's do this, Blind Bandit!"_

* * *

><p>"Can you believe it took me an <em>entire shift<em> at the police just to give birth to you?!" Toph told Lin.

Su looked from her mother, and then to her sister. "Hey, isn't that – _twelve_ hours?"

Lin unconsciously placed her hand over her belly. "_That_ long?!"

Toph laughed at her daughters' reactions. "Yeah. _That long_. After I gave birth to you, I told myself I won't be having anymore children, because _obviously, _giving birth is harder than _making_ babies. But then I fell in love again, and I had Suyin – who, the way, didn't give me that much of a hard time. Okay – maybe a bit, but at least I had her in four hours."

"I hope the twins won't give me a hard time when my turn comes," Lin told her mother nervously. "I've heard some ladies at work saying the first is usually the hardest."

"Well you gotta think of it this way – once the other twin is out, the second one's gonna be easier. It's a win-win thing, innit?" Toph joked.

"Mom!"

"What?!"

* * *

><p><em>When she came to, she was all cleaned up and was in another room. She heard Sokka and Aang talking about how they're going to make sure they'll have her give birth in a wooden room next time. "Hey! Look who's up!" Sokka said when he hsaw her stir from the bed.<em>

"_Where's the baby?" she asked groggily._

_Aang stepped out of the room noiselessly, while Sokka went to sit beside her again. "Hey."_

_Toph smiled weakly at him. "H-how is the baby?"_

_Soon she heard Katara's footsteps pattering upon the wooden floor. Wordlessly, she handed Toph a small bundle. "She's so… tiny," Toph said, holding her baby as gently as she could. When she heard Lin softly gurgling, Toph couldn't help but burst into tears. Here was the little thing she fought so hard for, alive and well in her arms. "Katara?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_Is she… blind?"_

_Katara placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed it gently. "Your baby responds to light, Toph. She can see. And she has lovely emerald eyes."_

_Toph grinned, feeling even better. "Hello, my little badgermole," she cried, running a finger along her baby's face. "Say hi to momma, Lin Beifong."_

* * *

><p>Both sisters were sobbing by the time their mother finished the story. "Hey, what are you crying about?" Toph asked jokingly, discreetly wiping away tears herself.<p>

"It's just – I never –" Lin sniffed.

"You thought I had it easy, huh? Well it was – _eventually_. Giving birth to you was just the beginning," she told Lin.

"I love you, Mom."

Toph opened her arms wide. "Come here, you two."


	12. Chapter 12

Pema's radiant smile greeted Tenzin the moment Oogi landed on Air Temple Island. Tenzin smiled back at her, but felt it was rather forced. He hoped Pema didn't notice. "How was your trip?" she asked, planting a chaste kiss on his cheek.

"It was fine," he replied.

"You got me worried last night," Pema quipped. "You didn't even send us a line."

Tenzin hurriedly put an arm around Pema's shoulder. "The weather took a bad turn, is all – I can't fly Oogi through sleet," and he added, just for good measure, "I'm sorry."

Pema laughed softly – something Tenzin hasn't grown accustomed to quite yet – "Oh, lighten up, will you? I was just teasing. There's nothing to be sorry about. Why don't you come inside for lunch? I made you some sweet buns, your favorite."

"I love you," he whispered as they walked into the house. "I really do."

"I love you too, Tenzin."

* * *

><p>A plate of steamed sweet buns sat on his nightstand, untouched. Pema brought them from the kitchen into his room when Tenzin excused himself from lunch.<p>

Now, he just lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Like his first night at the Beifong Mansion, last night wasn't any better; Tenzin's head was throbbing badly from lack of sleep, and any attempt at meditation only made him painfully aware of the blood rushing through his head – and the memory of last night.

_He opened his eyes, squinting at the unfamiliar surroundings that suddenly greeted him. He barely made out the time from the old clock which was illuminated by the moonlight. It was three-thirty in the morning. Tenzin turned to the right and found himself facing an unruly mass of raven-colored locks and alabaster skin peeking from underneath the silk sheets._

_Lin was sleeping on her side, her back towards Tenzin. Her soft, deep breaths told him she was fast asleep, perhaps dreaming of her babies. Tenzin let his eyes wander over Lin's silhouette, drinking in the sight of her curves which were further accentuated by her pregnancy. _This is wrong_, he thought_. This is wrong and you know it, Tenzin.

_Indeed it was -_ _and yet Tenzin found himself liking it more than he could admit. There was something so exciting - so _exhilarating - _about spending the night in your pregnant ex-girlfriend's bed while your fiancée – and reality - was waiting for you back home. Somehow he was willing to suspend reality – even for a few more days – to spend more time with Lin._

"_Tenzin…" she murmured, stirring from her sleep._

_He reached out his arm, clasping her by the waist. It's been so long since they have lain like this, and he admitted to himself that he missed it. He missed _her_. "Still here," he said, letting his palm rest over her warm skin. "Still here, _beloved_."_

Beloved_._

_The way he just uttered that word made him draw back from Lin a bit. He has always referred to Pema as "dear" or "darling", but never "beloved". Somehow, the word took on a life of its own and Tenzin couldn't ever say it without Lin's face popping up in his mind._

_Deep in his heart, he felt all those years of disappointment and resentment towards Lin and what became of their relationship slowly dissipate. He had wanted a family of his own for so long, and now here it was, just within his reach. Gently, he kissed her cheek._

"_I wish the morning won't come."_

* * *

><p>Tenzin must have fallen asleep, because it was already dark when he came to. The steamed buns on his nightstand were gone – perhaps his mother had taken them while he was asleep. He felt his stomach growling, and found that it was well over midnight when he glanced at the alarm clock.<p>

Ignoring his stomach, he showered and got a fresh change of clothes before making his way to the kitchen to find something for him to eat. To his surprise, the kitchen lights were on. He peeked around the kitchen for a moment, and found his father nursing a steaming mug of coffee, a strong and bitter drink from the Fire Nation. Aang seemed to be lost in his thoughts.

"Hey Dad," he said, finally entering the room and pointing at the mug. "That's a pretty strong drink."

Aang nodded. "Your Mom set aside some dumplings for you - I think they're still in the steamer."

Tenzin heated some water and found himself a packet of tea. He opened the lid of the steamer and found the dumplings inside, still quite warm. "Thanks."

"How are you feeling? You've been knocked out the whole day."

Tenzin dumped the contents of the packet into a cup. "I was tired."

"I want to apologize, son."

"For what?"

"I know you heard your Mom and I talking – you know, about Lin. I know it's been a rough year for both of you. I guess it's even harder for her. She still loves you, son," Aang explained.

"Mom was right," Tenzin said, pouring out the hot water into his cup. He let silence hand between him and his father as he watched the color of tea seeping into the water. "Lin is pregnant, and I'm the last one to know."

Aang looked at him with concern.

"I was with her last night. And she – er – she told me everything. Sort of," Tenzin added.

"Sort of?"

"Yeah."

"You mean she didn't want to tell you anything," Aang clarified, looking morosely at his son. "Lin is like a daughter to me – I know her well. What do you plan on doing now?"

Tenzin shrugged as he hungrily gobbled down the dumplings and his tea. "Lin said she doesn't need my help. She said she wanted to raise the twins on her own, Just Like her mother raised her," Tenzin noticed the surprised look on his father's face, but continued talking. "She told me that even though she's pregnant with my kids, it won't change the fact that I am already committed to someone else."

"Are you really _committed_, son?" Aang asked.

Tenzin looked down at his now-empty teacup, blankly staring at the tea leaves settled at the bottom; Aang walked over to the cupboards and retrieved a bottle from one of them. He set it in front of Tenzin, along with two small glasses. "Fermented cactus juice," he said, unscrewing the cork and pouring out the greenish, sweet-smelling liquid into the glasses. "This was your Uncle Sokka's own brew – he said it has _twice_ the kick of cactus juice. He also told me I should keep it just in case."

"Dad – I thought you don't drink this kind of stuff!" Tenzin exclaimed.

"It won't hurt to do so once in a while – you should have seen Sokka! He couldn't handle this drink as well as Zuko and Toph do," Aang chuckled, recalling his youth. "I'd like to think that this drink here frees your mind by removing all your inhibitions."

Tenzin was familiar with this brew – he had shared many a bottle with Lin on occasion, but he was pleasantly surprised to learn that his father, the usually uptight Avatar, drinks it too. "_Drunk words often come from sober hearts_ – that's what Lin used to say," he said bitterly, grabbing the glass and downing it all in one go. He relished the sharp, burning sensation that he felt as the fermented cactus juice passed down his throat.

Aang stared at his son as he drank his share of the juice. "Perhaps I'll leave you to your thoughts for now."

Tenzin nodded, pouring another shot as his father left the kitchen. "I wish I didn't have to choose," he said.

Aang just smiled sadly and left.


	13. Chapter 13

Winter in Gaoling wasn't as enjoyable as summer and fall – the Beifongs spent days on end all cooped up inside the house because of the cold drizzles and the occasional snows. Suyin, an active member of the theater troupe, constantly complained of canceled shows – Lin mercilessly teased her, however, about _something_ different: her sister was seeing a young engineer called Baatar, and Lin knew he arrived in Gaoling for the winter. Toph, meanwhile, was almost always locked up in the study – she had to continue correspondence with the Metalbending Police by phone, and sometimes she would call Lin to read and answer some letters for her as well. Most of the time though, Lin, who was eight months pregnant at the time, was left to herself, free to do whatever it is that she pleases.

That afternoon, Lin was languidly playing the yueqin beside a blazing fireplace when Dao, the butler, handed her an envelope and a package. Turning the envelope her hands, she saw it was from Republic City and addressed to her, in Tenzin's neat handwriting. She dismissed Dao and hastily opened the letter.

_Dearest Lin,_

_I do apologize for not writing or calling you sooner after we left Gaoling. I've been caught up in a flurry of activities since coming back here, and it is only now that I found the time to check up on you. I hope Aunt Toph and Suyin are both doing well, and coping with the grief quite swimmingly. Most of all, I pray that you are getting along well – and that the children are healthy. I can't wait to see you three._

_Lin, I wrote this letter because I want to apologize to you – I know you want to keep your pregnancy a secret, at least for some time, but I can't bear to keep such wonderful news from my parents. They're quite upset that we kept this to ourselves, but when I told them you desire to raise the children the way you've been raised by your own mother, I think they understood. Mother wanted to visit you, but, seeing as it is too cold and winters in Gaoling aren't really _that_ mild, we decided to put it off until spring. Father sends you his love, along with a parcel (which I don't know the contents of)._

_If I have counted correctly, I assume that you will be giving birth in a month's time – which is in the early spring, I guess. I do not know if Suyin has told you, but I will also be marrying Pema around that time._

_I wanted to tell you goodbye, but seeing as we'll be having children soon, I know that our lives would forever be intertwined. I know I have caused you so much pain and heartbreak, but _please,_ Lin – please don't cut me off of your life. I know it's a stretch, and that I might be pushing your generosity to the limit, but please don't let the children grow without knowing how much I love them. Tell them how sorry I am for being an absentee dad because of the circumstances we are in. There's nothing else I want than to be with them and watch them grow up, but I have to do what is right. I have to honor my promises. Tell them, Lin._

_I will always love you._

_Forever yours,_

_Tenzin_

Lin's tears were pouring down her cheeks and onto the paper in steady, hot streams; they washed over the ink, slowly disintegrating Tenzin's words. "You're stupid, that's what you are," she scolded herself. "Did you expect him to come running back to you just because you're pregnant? Didn't you fucking tell him to '_go and be happy with Pema'_?! You brought this upon yourself, you dumb fuck!"

She tossed the letter into the fire, watching as the flames ate away at Tenzin's words. Now that things between them have been severed – _almost, _at least – Lin realized she had nothing else to lose.

"Looks like it's just the three of us now, kids."

* * *

><p>"Are you sure?" Toph, mouth agape, asked her daughter.<p>

"Yeah," Lin replied, taking a chunk off of the roast chickenpig. "You did it when you were pregnant with me, Mom. How hard can it be?"

Toph gulped down some water. "It isn't that hard, kid, once you get used to that baby bump getting in the way of your bending – but it is _stressful_! There were days when I couldn't seem to take the gossip anymore that I wanna snap the reporters' heads off! It's _THAT_ stressful!" She said, making a huge gesture with her hands and sending her chopsticks flying off.

"But you said you didn't let the gossip bother you," Su commented.

"I said I didn't let the gossip bother me _too much. H_uge difference, see?" Toph corrected. "And what are you going back there for? Your job? Didn't I tell you we filed for _indefinite_ leave? You could bounce back once you give birth."

Lin knew she lost the argument then. "Fine, Mom. But can we _please_ go back to Republic City right after I give birth?"

"Course we will – what's gone into your head anyway? You girls have been acting all weird lately," Toph observed.

"Su's fucking around with someone," Lin glanced at her sister mischievously.

Suyin choked on her tofu. "Lin!"

Toph fixed her sightless eyes on her younger daughter. "You be careful now, Suyin – I don't want you walking around here looking like a melon too."

"Mom! Baatar's a nice man," Su defended.

"Tenzin was nice too, but that didn't stop him from banging your sister and knocking her up," their mother quipped. "And what's up with his name? Baatar? Who names their kid Baatar?"

Lin was genuinely laughing this time, ignoring the sharp looks thrown at her by Suyin. "I'll get you for this," her sister hissed. "Lin got a package today, Mom. Tenzin gave it to her." she stuck her tongue out at Lin.

"What's in it?" Toph asked.

"I don't know – I didn't open it," Lin replied. "Get it from my room, Su."

Su, eager to embarrass her sister, went to get the package.

"A letter came with the package," Lin began. "Tenzin was asking me a favor, Mom."

Toph slurped noisily on her soup. "What was it?"

"H-he told me not to cut him out of my life, and the kids' as well. He asked that I let the kids know how much he loves them," she replied. "The basic _I-wanna-be-with-you-but-I-can't_ stuff, I guess."

Toph smiled at the way her daughter's life was turning out to be like hers. "At least it's better than promising to leave his fiancée and ending up marrying her anyway. Why don't you write him back and tell him what a sick fuck he is?"

"Mom, Tenzin is _not_ a sick fuck."

"Then tell him!"

"Also, he's getting married when spring comes," Lin blurted out. "I'm not sure how I feel about that."

"That's also why you want to return to Republic City," her mother correctly surmised. "You want to see if you can try and change Tenzin's mind, huh?"

Lin sighed with relief when Su came back, carrying the package in hand. It was only now that Lin noticed how _big_ it was, and she wondered what in the name of Tui and La did Uncle Aang put in the box. Suyin put the package down on the unoccupied end of the table and started unwrapping it.

"You didn't answer my question, Lin." Toph said.

Lin paused for a while – _of course_ she wanted Tenzin back, but part of her wanted him gone as well. "It's because I don't know, Mom."

"Oh!" Su exclaimed as she pried off the box's lid. "I know this guy! Didn't you use to have him in your flat, Lin?" She scooped up the stuffed air bison from the box and showed it to her elder sister. Suyin looked into the box to see if there was anything else inside.

"Wow, count on Twinkletoes Senior to send us something sentimental," Toph deadpanned. "If you ask me, he should've sent us those instant noodle thingies."

"How adorable! Uncle Aang sent you a mobile!" Suyin held out a sky bison mobile in her hands. "This is so pretty!"

"What does _that_ do?" Lin asked, pointing at the three miniature sky bison suspended from wires. With some difficulty, she walked over to her sister to closely inspect the trinket Aang sent her.

"You're supposed to put this over a crib," Su explained. "There's supposed to be a wind-up mechanism in here somewhere…"

Lin found a small, gold-plated box with a wind-up key attached to it. "I think it's supposed to be assembled, Su," she said, snatching the mobile from her sister, and putting the entire device together. "Just so."

"Give it a turn!" Su told her sister excitedly.

Lin did as Su told her, and watched, amazed, as the three sky bison began turning round and round, dreamily, from their frame. "Wow."

Toph stood from her seat. "Well, if you girls are gonna drool over some toys, I better head to my room and hit the sack."

Suyin, who was still rummaging through the box, passed a note to her sister.

"Hey mom, it's a note from Uncle Aang," Lin announced.

"What's it say?"

"A lot could change in a short time. Share the love," she read.

Toph smiled. "_Spot on, Twinkletoes_."


	14. Chapter 14

Air Temple Island was filled to the brim with excitement – the plum trees, already heavy with buds, were being decorated with paper lanterns; the walls were painted over with new coatings of white; the gardens were trimmed and mown; and the wooden floors shone like new. Pema and Katara busied themselves with the necessary preparations for the wedding, while Aang and Tenzin busied themselves with affairs of the state.

Bumi, who was home on furlough from the United Forces, surveyed his surroundings with mild amusement written all over his face. "You would think they're hosting a wedding for royalty, with all these preparations going on," he told Kya.

"Can't blame them – it's the first time someone in the family's getting married, after all," she replied, taking a swig from the glass of firewhisky she held. "I imagined Tenzin getting married long ago, you know."

"Yeah, me too – but with a different person," Bumi said, to which Kya quietly agreed. "I wonder if Beifong's coming."

Kya laughed. "Come on, Bumi, don't be stupid. Of course Lin _won't_ come."

"Tenzin's a jerk, letting such a good girl go."

"Pema is a good girl too - you're just being bitter because you still have the hots for Lin and even though she's now single, she still won't have you," she jested. "Say, how about we call her office now – and then go grab some lunch with her?"

"I get to make the call!" Bumi cried, running into the house. Kya followed, shaking her head.

* * *

><p>Bumi was already on the phone when Kya entered the room, and she saw that he was talking (and scratching his head) in a rather confused manner.<p>

"What?"

"Gaoling?"

"You think I'll be calling her if I knew?"

"Yeah – wait a minute –" he lifted the receiver away from him. "Hey Ky, d'you have some paper in there or something?"

Kya shook her head. "Why?"

Bumi went back to the phone, "You know what? We'll just visit her. Yes. Thank you." He had a sour expression on his face when he put the receiver down.

"Well?" Kya arched an eyebrow at him.

"The guy on the phone told me Beifong was on leave," he pouted. "_Both_ Beifongs."

Kya looked at Bumi, lost in thought. Sure, taking time off from work wasn't strange, but knowing that Lin and her mother - two women who were practically _married_ to work – were both in leave, was strangely unsettling. It was usually one or the other who took a break, but they _never_ did it together; most importantly, they never left work _indefinitely_. "This is so strange…"

Bumi drummed his fingers impatiently on the wooden table. "You know what? I think I gotta go visit Beifong. Something's not _right_."

"Take me with you."

* * *

><p>Deciding to come Gaoling on a short notice was one thing, but convincing their mother to let them "hop into town" was another. Katara was upset that they had to leave right in the middle of the preparations – she kept on insisting that they needed "more hands" to help around with work – until Bumi accidentally smashed a vase (which was supposed to be the centerpiece of the wedding table) while he was trying to help one of the acolytes out.<p>

"_TUI AND LA_!"Katara exclaimed, exasperated. "Go on ahead, you two – go to the ferry and do whatever it is you want in town."

Kya planted a kiss on her mother's cheek. "Thanks Mom. You're the best." Bumi followed suit, doing it in his trademark clumsy way. Katara just smiled and waved them off.

"It's gonna take us a _day_ to reach Gaoling without Oogi, you know," Bumi told his sister once they were on the ferry.

"We could always take the express train to Ba Sing Se and then catch the one bound for Gaoling once we arrive," Kya said. "The next one leaves an hour from now, so we've still got plenty of time to send Lin a line."

"Who says we're gonna send her a line?" Bumi told her, wiggling eyebrows at his sister. "I wanna see Beifong's reaction when she sees us there."

They boarded the 4:15 express train, bound for Ba Sing Se. The moment they closed the private cabin, Kya turned on her brother. "There's something they're not telling us, Bumi."

"Like what?" he asked, making himself comfortable by using his duffel bag as a pillow. "We all know Lin was a little furious after the break up. Maybe she needed some rest."

"You don't know Lin as well as I do!"

Bumi looked at Kya, annoyed. "Are you saying I don't know Lin? Because as far as I know, we grew up together, same as you! Lin is like my sister, okay? If anything's wrong with her, I _know_."

"Lin _hates_ her own mother! Why would she go on an extended leave to Gaoling? She can't even stand being with her own family for five minutes!" Kya screamed.

"Well, you didn't need to scream," Bumi deadpanned, finally catching on to Kya's train of thought. "You know Lin – she likes to keep quiet about _family_ things."

"You think maybe it has something to do with Tenzin?"

Tenzin's relationship with Lin was a rather sore subject for Bumi. He was, after all, the first one to express a romantic interest in her when they were younger. He watched as she blossomed into a beautiful young lady right before his eyes, and was very upset when he found out that Lin and Tenzin were dating. "It _always_ has something to do with _Tenzin_," he replied.

"Oh, come on now Bumi – this is not the time to be all bitter on Tenzin," Kya teased.

Bumi closed his eyes. "You know what? Sometimes I think Tenzin's hogging all the good stuff to himself. Yeah, I know what you're thinking – _stop acting like a kid, Bumi_ – but it's true! He has too much of the good stuff in his hands and he doesn't even know how to handle them. Look at what happened between him and Lin! What a disaster! Lin is a very nice girl - pretty to boot – and for years I've been trying my best to sway her attentions from Tenzin to _me_, but the girl won't budge! She's fiercely loyal to him, Kya – and look what he did! He left Lin to marry someone else. Isn't that just _grand_?"

Kya shrugged. "Tenzin… is under a lot of pressure. The future of the Air Nomads rests in his hands. "

"And what of us? Aren't we also the Avatar's kids?" Bumi asked.

"Tenzin needs kids. _Airbender_ kids – something Lin doesn't want."

Bumi groaned in protest, but Kya rested her palm on his arm and said, "Why don't you take a nap? I'll wake you up when we reach Ba Sing Se."

He placed an arm over his eyes. "Still can't believe that nitwit brother of ours left Lin."


	15. Chapter 15

Suyin and Lin were enjoying a game of Paisho at the garden pavilion that morning, while their mother was exercising. The weather had finally gone mild, and there was a certain warmth in the air that hinted at the arrival of spring.

"I can't wait to see the twins!" Suyin declared. She was in an especially good mood this morning, probably because Baatar was well-received by her usually snarky mom and sister at dinner last night.

Lin, hand on her chin, pondered over which tile to move next. "Me too."

"Me three!" their mother exclaimed, hurling a boulder into the air and catching it as if it was a pillow, on her bare hands. "What're you gonna name them, Lin?"

"Hah! I win! That's five for me and none for _you_," Lin cried, making a silly face at her sister.

Suyin glanced at the board, trying to see where she went wrong. "Oh, you must be cheating, Lin – there's no way you can win Paisho five times in a row!" she laughed. Lin stuck out her tongue at Su. "Anyway, Mom's right – we haven't thought about baby names yet."

"I don't even know what my kids would be," she shrugged. "But I have thought of some names. Like, if they're both boys, I'm gonna call them Lei and Shandian. I haven't really thought of girls' names… except maybe Ren. I think Ren is a lovely name for a girl."

Su clapped her hands. "Hey Mom! Aren't Lei and Shandian nice names for boys? _Lei _is thunder and _Shandian_ is lightning in the old dialect, right? Thunder and Lightning Beifong! Cool!"

Toph, deciding it was time for a break, headed towards the pavilion. "Thunder and Lightning? Huh! _Cheesy._ Might as well name my grandkids as butterfly and bee!"

Lin poured a glass of cold water for her mother. "Well, if we can't think of other names, Lei and Shandian are gonna stay," she shrugged, handing the glass to Toph. "You got any badass suggestions, Mom?"

"Toph Junior!"she laughed. "You girls gotta admit – it won't get any more badass than _that_."

Lin rolled her eyes while Su laughed hysterically. Suddenly, Toph tensed up. "You okay, Mom?" Lin asked.

"How many are we in this mansion?" she asked.

"Ten, I think," Suyin replied, looking confused.

"We'll there's two more, and they just stepped into the grounds."

* * *

><p>The butler led Bumi and Kya into a tea room illuminated by the soft winter sunlight. The room, which reflected the minimalist aesthetic of Fire Nation, clashed sharply with the ornate, imperial motif of the entire mansion. A low table, polished to a dull gleam, was laden out with tea and snacks. A huge sliding door opened out to a garden full of stunted evergreens and small ponds swimming with koi.<p>

"Lady Beifong and her daughters shall be joining you soon," the butler said.

Kya looked around the room. "This room screams _Lin_ all over it," she observed, remembering Lin's Republic City apartment, which was decorated in the same style.

Bumi helped himself to the snacks. "Well, if you gotta stay here as long as she did, you might as well make yourself at home, right?"

The duo had been travelling for almost the entire night. They arrived at Ba Sing Se at past eight but missed the last express train bound for Gaoling. They had to wait until half-past ten before the next train, one which travelled all night, right across the Earth Kingdom, arrived. Kya, being as widely travelled as she is, thought that the trip was too long, but Bumi made the best of it by sleeping through the twenty-odd stops the train made.

Bumi was grateful for the wide open space of the tea room, which allowed him to stretch his weary legs. Soon enough, the butler was back. "The Lady Toph Beifong, with Mistresses Lin and Suyin," he announced.

_Geez, everything here is so formal_, he thought, as he watched Toph walk in. She was followed by Suyin, and then –

"What?" Kya's teacup clattered to the floor, the tea seeping into the straw mats.

Bumi was greeted by Lin's _very_ pregnant figure. "Hey guys," she said coyly, tucking her hair behind one ear. Toph and Suyin looked on, amused.

He rose from his seat and approached Lin. "What in the name of Koh is going on in here?!" he cried, walking around his friend. "Kya!"

"Hey, look – Bumi – why don't you sit first?" Lin asked. Bumi stood frozen in front of her, thoroughly confused. Lin patted her pregnant belly. "I'm pregnant!" she beamed at her friends.

Toph took a seat at the head of the table. "With the way Boom-boom is reacting, you would think it's the first time he saw someone preggo," she chuckled. "Help your sister, Su."

Suyin helped her sister sit at the right-hand side of their mother, adding more cushions to make Lin more comfy. Kya was bending the spilled tea from the mats, flicking it out the door and into the garden; Bumi, however, stared at Lin with a look of total panic written all over his face.

"So," Lin began cheerfully, "what brings you here?"

"Well, Bumi here is on furlough and obviously _I_ came home for the wedding – and we just wanted to see how you are," Kya explained. "We called HQ yesterday but they told us you were on leave, so we caught the train and decided to visit you here… you know – to see how you are… _aaaaaaaand now I see you're gonna be a mom!"_

Bumi finally gathered enough of his wits to speak. "Why are you even pregnant? Su! Why is your sister pregnant?!" he asked, pointing at Lin's belly.

Su just shrugged. "Beats me – one day she woke up like that. Didn't she, Mom?"

"Yeah," Toph laughed. "I think Lin flirted with a rock one night and things got out of hand – _OF COURSE SHE FUCKED AROUND WHAT DO YOU THINK, BUMI?! SHE FUCKED AROUND SO NOW SHE'S PREGNANT!"_

"I fucked your brother," Lin deadpanned, watching with amusement as Bumi's eyes slowly widened, and Kya spluttered on her tea. "_Aaaaaand I got his babies right in here._"

"I don't get it Lin," said Kya. "Why didn't you tell me? You know you can tell me anything."

"I don't know how to reach you, Ky – I mean, you could be anywhere in the world at any given time, so – "

Everyone was startled when Bumi slammed his fists onto the table. "I can't believe him! I can't believe _Tenzin_ did this to you! How can he go and marry another girl and leave you like this?! Just wait – just wait 'til I get home and then I'll give him a piece of my mind!"

"Hey – Bumi, calm down," Lin told him soothingly. "Tenzin knows. _I _told him not to break the engagement off. I can raise the kids on my own – we're okay."

"It's _not_ okay!" Bumi argued. "Look at you, Lin! Where's the fighter I left ten years ago? What, are you content to just stay here and waste your days away because Tenzin decided to be a little shit and leave you for someone else?"

Toph could feel the tempers rising all around her, knowing that Lin, with a bit more goading from Bumi, would likely snap – and it would put her _and the babies_ in danger. "Hey, hey, kids – snap out of it, will you? No one wants to be in this mess."

"It's okay, Mom," Lin assured. "Bumi's right. I should've fought for Tenzin when I had the chance."

Kya sighed. "Do you still want him back, Lin?"

"I do."

"Well you gotta fight for him," she said. "There's still time."

Bumi hastily rose from the table and left the room running, taking his duffel bag with him. Lin and Kya knew him all too well to know what he was planning. "Kya – stop him!" Lin cried, she herself leaning on the table, ready to run after him. "Su, help me up!"

Su pulled her sister up. "Spirits, I think Bumi's gonna kill Tenzin!"

Toph, meanwhile, smoothed her clothes. "Well, that escalated quickly," she deadpanned.

* * *

><p>Kya caught her brother about to board a cab, right outside the mansion. "Bumi, just what do you think you're doing?!" she panted.<p>

"I'm going home," he replied, his voice sounding hoarse. "I didn't come all the way here from Republic City to see her like _that_. I didn't come here to see how our brother broke her."

Kya placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, I'm about as shocked as you are –"

"Bumi…" Lin walked quickly towards the duo, her effort apparent through the color rising in her cheeks. "Please don't go. I-I don't want you doing something stupid just because you're mad."

"Lin, you know how much I love you, right? You are more than just a friend to me, and I won't let anyone, even my brother, hurt you," Bumi said, holding Lin's face close to him. "I'm a bit old to be fighting for your affection, sweet cheeks – but I want you to feel better."

"Bumi, I can't go back with you to Republic City," Kya said. She had been observing Lin, and to her trained eyes, it looks as though her time was drawing near. "I think Captain Beifong here is gonna need my help soon."

"What?"

"Trust me, Lin," Kya assured, patting Lin's belly. "You're gonna be in bed sooner than you think."

"Lin," Bumi hugged her. "I have stopped fighting for you _long_ ago, when I knew you won't let someone in your heart but my brother. This time, I will be fighting _with_ you."

Lin hugged him back. "Don't hurt him, Bumi."

"Hey, I don't make promises."


	16. Chapter 16

It was sunset when Bumi reached home. Air Temple Island was awash in shades of crimson and vermillion, making the island appear as if it was on fire when viewed from Yue Bay. Bumi closed his eyes against the raging sea breeze, drowning himself in his own thoughts. _Lin is pregnant with Tenzin's kids, and Tenzin is getting married to someone else. What kind of sick bastard does that?_

"Where's your sister?" Katara asked.

Bumi stretched his weary legs. "You never told us, Mom."

Katara, who immediately sensed where the conversation was going, took a deep breath. "You've gone to Gaoling, haven't you?"

"Why didn't you tell us Lin was pregnant? She's like family to us, Mom."

"We weren't sure how to go about breaking the news. After all, our lives are pretty much public property around here," Katara mused. "And Lin… well, she's a _very_ private person. I don't think she'll take to publicity very well – unlike Toph."

Bumi groaned in frustration. "Why is Tenzin even pushing through with the wedding?"

"Maybe you should talk to your brother about it," she suggested. "He's going to be back anytime soon."

* * *

><p>Aang and Tenzin arrived late, only joining Bumi, Katara and Pema halfway through dinner. The ladies' lively chatter did little to soothe Bumi, already high-strung as he was. He let out an audible sigh as Tenzin took a seat beside Pema.<p>

"Where's Kya?" Aang asked.

Bumi, trying to feign an air of nonchalance, stuffed a lettuce leaf in his mouth. "She went to Gaoling," he replied. From the corner of his eye, Bumi saw his brother nervously adjust the collar of his shirt. Then he added, looking pointedly at Tenzin, "she's with _Lin_."

"That's wonderful, isn't it, Sweetie?" Aang exclaimed at Katara. "Lin could use some company."

"How long do we have until the wedding?" Bumi asked, crunching the leaves noisily in his mouth.

Katara poured tea into her husband's cup. "Less than three weeks."

Pema smiled demurely, slipping her hand into Tenzin's. "I'm so excited, really. Everyone calls our wedding the "_wedding of the century_", and I can't help but get carried away."

Tenzin didn't utter anything - he just looked at Pema while she rambled on about her excitement about the upcoming event. He looked cautiously at his older brother, knowing full well that he was treading on thin ice. _Bumi knows_, Tenzin thought. _Bumi knows and I would have to face him sooner or later_.

"Hey T, what do you we open up a bottle of sake I got huh? To celebrate the good times?" Bumi invited. "Wanna join us, Dad?"

Aang declined, shaking his head. "I'm too old for bachelor parties. You guys could use the time to – er – _catch up_," he said. "We're actually heading to bed right after dinner – aren't we, Sweetie?"

Katara nodded. "Just make sure to clean up after yourselves, boys."

Pema smiled at her fiance. "I'll go to bed myself, right after we clear the dishes. Have a great night, darling."

Bumi winced at the way Tenzin returned Pema's kisses, wondering whether his brother was thinking of a certain raven-haired police officer whenever his lips met Pema's.

* * *

><p>"I'm sorry if you had to find out about me this way," Lin apologized to Kya, who was stoking the coals in the brazier. They were seated in Lin's tearoom again, their awkward conversations punctuated by the rhythmic tapping of the shishi-odoshi in the garden.<p>

Kya just shrugged and added more coal. "Well, it certainly was surprising, especially now that Tenzin and you are living separate lives – but we can't do anything else about it, can we?"

"How is he?"

"Who – Tenzin? Oh, he's fine, _I guess_. He's doing his usual job on the council – you know, helping Dad with the paperworks, or being Dad's representative whenever he can't attend social functions – the general shebang. Come to think of it, though – he hasn't really done much to help with the preparations," Kya replied.

Lin sighed, laying her hands on her stomach. "H-has he – _nevermind_."

"Has he made up his mind about the wedding, you mean," Kya voiced. "I don't really know… I mean, _sure_, they're going through all the necessary arrangements – Pema is ecstatic – they even made the engagement as public an affair as possible, but lately, my brother seems quite _detached_."

Lin smiled, but quickly reverted to her usual scowl. Though it was comforting to think that Tenzin was actually having second thoughts about the coming wedding, she thought it was very wrong to take pleasure in thinking of a failed match. "Maybe he's feeling a bit tense."

Kya scooted closer to her. "Nonsense! It's his conscience bothering him, I reckon – Lin, are you _sure_ you want to raise the twins alone?" she asked. "I know your mom did it, and I know you look up to her somehow – but sweetheart, you'll be having twins! At least let us help. Tenzin can bum out of dad duties, but I'm here. _Bumi_ is here. You don't have to do it alone."

"I don't want to bother you," Lin expressed, fighting back tears. _Damn, why do I get so emotional over the smallest things?_

"Well, whether you like it or not, I'm gonna lend a hand. You're not carrying just any kid inside you, Lin. Those kids are my nephews – or nieces," Kya told her. "So you can't make me go."

Toph entered the tearoom, already dressed in her nightclothes. "Hey, ladies, it's getting late." She turned her head in her daughter's direction. "What's the matter, Lin?"

"I feel _horrid_, Mom - I am trying so hard to be like you, and I am failing with every single attempt," she sobbed.

"Spirits, here we are _again_," Toph mouthed, rolling her eyes. "Why are you trying to be like me? I'm a horrible person. I was a mistress to a married man, got knocked up without a husband, I did a _lousy _job being your mom – tell me, Lin, why would you wanna be like me?"

"You are Toph Beifong, Mom."

"So what? _You're_ Lin Beifong. Go write your own history, badgermole. I told you again and again that you don't have to live to the Beifong name. It's just a name, after all," Toph told her. "Now go to bed. It's bad for my grandkids."

Kya bent some water into the brazier, making the coals sizzle. "It's so hard being kids to war heroes," she said dreamily.

* * *

><p>"So, I visited Lin today," Bumi began, pouring warm sake into his brother's cup. "And can you imagine my surprise when I saw her, Ten? Our pretty little Lin, <em>pregnant<em> - you know what's worse?"

"What?"

"Lin told me the _bastard_ who got her knocked up is going to marry someone else!" he laughed disdainfully, downing the sake in his cup. Tenzin watched as droplets of liquid escaped from Bumi's mouth. "What a coward."

Tenzin slammed his fists onto the table. "Stop it, Bumi."

"What?!" Bumi asked Tenzin, his eyes running across his brother's face with contempt. "Why are you so high-strung about it? What – you still love Lin?"

Tenzin fixed a steely gaze on Bumi. "Stop pretending you don't know anything."

Bumi shrugged, pouring another shot. _I'm just waiting for it to come from you. _"Hey, you haven't touched _your_ sake – and you haven't answered me. Do you still love Lin? Because if you don't, well I'm totally going to -"

"_I do!_ I still do. I always will. Are you happy? "

"Well then, why are you marrying someone else?" Bumi asked, further provoking his brother. "Or are you marrying someone else to get back at her – _are the kids in her belly someone else's_?"

"She's pregnant with _my_ kids," he answered. At that instant, Bumi lunged at him, pinning him to the ground. Tenzin could feel his brother pummeling him with his fists, and he barely had time to register everything in his brain properly.

"You _fucking coward_! You go on telling me that you _love _her – but what exactly did you do to her? You left her all alone, Tenzin! Have you seen her, huh? Have you seen what you have done to her? _You broke her_! She wanted to fight for you but wouldn't take the risk – you know why?"

Tenzin struggled under his brother's weight. Bumi was surprisingly strong – whatever he lacked in bending he made up for in strength and brute force. "Get off of me!" He screamed, trying to push Bumi away.

"_She loves you. _After all this time, _she still fucking loves you_," Bumi murmured, his grip finally loosening. "And she doesn't want to make a scene by announcing her pregnancy to the world and ruining your wedding."

Katara ran to the kitchen after hearing the commotion. "What's going – _SPIRITS! Bumi! Tenzin!_"

Bumi poured himself more sake as his mother helped Tenzin, who was still sprawled on the floor, to a sitting position. An angry purple bruise was beginning to form on Tenzin's left eye, while blood trickled down his split lip.

"What in the name of Tui and La have you done?" Katara asked, fussing over Tenzin's injuries.

"Nothing you can't fix, Mom," Bumi replied sluggishly. "What have _you_ done, Tenzin?"

Katara began healing Tenzin's cut. "You are _never_ going to hear the end of this, Bumi – you hear? Why don't you two just act like the civilized, educated adults you are? We didn't raise you to be _barbarians_."

Bumi tipped the rest of the sake into his mouth, and dumped the bottle into the sink. "Right. You also didn't teach us to run away from our responsibilities and be unfair."

"What are you getting on about, Bumi?" Katara asked, slightly irritated. Tenzin remained silent.

"I'm just telling my little brother, the darling _baby_, that making big decisions – like getting married, for example – is scary. But nothing's scarier than regret," Bumi replied, languidly walking out of the kitchen. When he reached the door, he looked back at Tenzin. "Do you really want this for the rest of your life?"

* * *

><p><em>Hi guys! I could totally see an end to this fic, but I think it will take me 10+ chapters before I could write it. I didn't think this fic would be a hit (sort of) , since it's my first time writing here on , but seeing all the positive feedback from you guys makes me wanna write more! Thank you so much for all the love! :D<em>


	17. Chapter 17

Bumi was roused the next day by all the commotion in the main house. His head was throbbing furiously, probably from all the sake he drank the night before – and he couldn't see or hear things clearly yet. Glancing at the clock on his bedside table, he saw it was barely eight in the morning. He yawned noisily and stretched his arms and legs.

"Bumi, are you up?" his mother's voice made him lose any sleep he still felt.

"Door's unlocked, mom," he called out, finally stepping out of bed.

Katara entered his room, looking utterly distraught. She was wringing the hem of her tunic in her hands, and she looked like she was on the verge of tears. Bumi held her by the shoulders. "What's wrong, Mom?"

"Tenzin is missing."

* * *

><p><em>Hi everyone! So this might be the last update for the time being, because I'll away at work for two days. :)<em>

_Stay tuned. _


	18. Chapter 18

Tenzin drove Oogi swiftly through the winter skies, paying little regard to the icy air that seemed to pierce through his clothing and his skin. After last night's altercation with Bumi, he felt that he needed to get away and find peace by himself. His head was swimming with mingled alcohol and memories as he willed the sky bison to glide higher and higher above the clouds.

He could hear Bumi looking at him with that mocking, mischievous smile of his and telling him, _"Nothing's scarier than regret."_

"SHUT UP, BUMI!" he screamed, wishing Bumi's words didn't strike him so much. But as the echoes of his voice faded into the distance, his brother's words simply refused to be ignored. Tenzin groaned, feeling strangely crushed by someone who wasn't even there.

"_Have you ever felt so bad in your life but you had no way of letting the steam out?" Lin asked him one night as they were eating dinner – which consisted of pan-fried noodles and grilled sausages from the corner store. As if realizing her blunder, she quickly added, "Oh yeah – I forgot. You're the spirit dude and you _never_ get angry. Ever."_

_He just shrugged and got a piece of sausage with his chopsticks. Lin eyed him curiously, with a smile slowly forming in her lips._

"_I thought you don't eat meat," she asked him coolly._

"_Actually, I do –" he replied, stuffing the meat into his mouth. "Just not that often."_

_Lin continued eating her meal in silence. Tenzin observed her tacitly, from her face down to her subtle body language. Something about her unusually slumped shoulders and stooping posture told him she had a particularly stressful day at work – she probably had another dispute with her mother, because the usual mistakes her officers commit usually don't faze her too much. He set his bowl of noodles down and reached for Lin's hand. "You wanna talk about it?"_

_Lin sniffed, wiping her eyes with her free hand. "I don't really want to talk about it."_

_Tenzin just smiled, knowing that Lin wasn't one to talk of her feelings, and her control over them was what blew Tenzin's mind away, every single time. He walked towards her, finally standing still behind her chair. Gently, he embraced her. "I have an idea. Come with me."_

"_If it involves your glider, I am_ not_ coming," she replied, glaring at him with her emerald eyes._

_Gingerly, he took her hand and pulled her from her seat. He opened the window to the apartment he now shared with Lin. "Let's step out for a while," he beckoned, smiling at her. _

_Lin poked her head out of the window. "This is the fire exit."_

"_It's also the fastest way to the roof," Tenzin answered. "Well, are you coming or what?"_

_After a few minutes of swiftly climbing the rickety stairs - and Lin complaining how the stairs _clearly_ do not pass the standards of Republic City's Fire and Building Codes – Tenzin and Lin walked onto the rooftop deck. Their apartment building was the tallest in the block, and from there they could easily see the glittering lights downtown, and the somber illumination of Air Temple Island._

"_Go ahead and scream," Tenzin encouraged._

_Lin looked at him, befuddled. "What the fuck are you saying?"_

"_Remember when I was eighteen and Dad took me on year-long journey to the air temples? All we did was study and train, study and train. Some days I was so bad at my forms, I would just quietly slip into the highest towers and scream my lungs out," he answered, trailing his eyes over the glittering lights sprawled below them. "It helps, you know."_

_Hesitantly at first, Lin cupped her hands over her mouth. She looked at Tenzin, as if asking for support. _

"_Go on."_

_Lin had to call in sick at work the next day because her throat "felt raw"._

* * *

><p>Tenzin hollered out until it felt like his throat would leap out of his neck. He hollered until he tasted the salt of his own tears diffuse in his mouth. <em>Why must this happen to me, of all people<em>? He wondered. _Why me_?

"_Give me a good reason for going through with the wedding."_

_Tenzin looked at his father's stern countenance, feeling like a child being berated for stealing cookies from the cookie jar. Sure, Aang could be serious when he wanted to, but Tenzin has never seen his father looking so angry and disappointed at the same time. _

_Aang cocked his head to one side, massaging his temple with his right hand. "Well?"_

"_I made a promise," Tenzin replied weakly._

"_And what about Lin?" _

_Tenzin tried to muster a solid argument against his father, but found himself failing from the get go. "I want so much to be with her right now, Dad. Most of all, I want to be with her when the children are born. But –"_

"_Son, you are being unfair to everyone," Aang's expression finally softened. "I am not asking you to go back to Lin, nor am I asking you to break off the engagement."_

"_Lin doesn't want me around."_

"_Who are we to say she's not lying? Lin was angry at you, Tenzin – and if there's anything I learned, it's that Lin is her mother's daughter. Like Toph, she tries to hide her true feelings behind a tough, unforgiving exterior. What kind of mother wants her children to grow up without a dad?"_

_Tenzin let his father's words hang in his head for the longest time, but he was in such a confused state of mind that all of his father's words just melted into one sorry mess._

"_Your mother and I think that it would be best if you would come clean to Pema. Please, Tenzin – that's the least you could do for her. I know it would be hard, and that she would be hurt, but it would best if she finds out from you rather than from some any other person," his father continued. "And please don't go neglecting Lin. She needs you, especially now that she's nearing her due."_

"_You have no idea how hard this is, Dad!" he screamed. "You're the Avatar. You can solve anything!"_

_Aang remained calm, despite his son's outburst._

"_You can't make me choose Dad!"_

"_I am not making you choose, Tenzin. _I am trying to make you do the right thing_."_

He tightened his grip on Oogi's reins, leading the beast to a slow descent. The familiar landscape of rolling hills surrounding plains dotted with small houses and a sprawling, majestic mansion greeted his teary eyes. _Let's get this over and done with_.

* * *

><p>Lin was seated in the study, half-heartedly reading a book of Earth Kingdom lore while her mother was answering calls from headquarters. <em>Sure, file for leave but do work at home via phone<em>, she thought, admiring her mother's dedication – and sometimes unhealthy attachment – to work. Suyin and Kya had gone to town for some shopping, and although she would've loved to come, just thinking of walking around the streets with a huge belly poking out of her overcoat was enough to make her uncomfortable and stay at home.

Toph switched on the radio, giggling in that annoyingly endearing way of hers, when she heard the song being played. She joined in, cackling merrily at the chorus:

_Secret tunnel! Secret tunnel!_

_Through the mountain!_

_Secret, secret, secret, secret tunnel!_

Lin looked bemusedly at her own mother. "I can't believe you know every word to that song," she laughed.

"Are you kidding me, Linny bear? Sokka loved this song!" Toph exclaimed. "In fact he used to sing it to me when I was pregnant with you and also when I was pregnant with Su. He did a really bad job of –"

Their little reverie was broken by the incessant ringing of the phone. Toph sighed and turned the volume down as she picked up the receiver. "Toph Beifong speaking – oh – hi Katara!"

Lin's ears seemed to perk up at the mere mention of Katara's name.

"What?"

"No, no – Lin is fine. Yeah, she's here with me. Kya's out with Su."

"Yeah, I'll phone you when I see him. Bye."

_Bumi went vagrant-mode again, I guess_, Lin thought. "What was that?"

"Tenzin's missing," Toph replied. "Katara wanted to know if he happened to be here."

"Oh," Lin mouthed, going back to her book. She was reading about Oma and Shu, and their love story was giving her the "genuine feels", as Su would have put it – but when she found out that Tenzin was missing, the words didn't seem to make any sense to her, and her thoughts quickly became muddled.

"You don't have anything to do with this, do you?" Toph asked, turning the radio up again. Lin just shook her head.

* * *

><p><em>hi everyone! sorry if i wasn't able to update right away - i got caught up in work. please expect less frequent updates (i might be able to update twice a week from now on) because *drum roll* I GOT PROMOTED AT WORK! HOORAY! i'm now the department chief! so now i have lots of duties to handle, AND shifts that are twice as long. i hoped you liked this chapter, though. :)<em>


	19. Chapter 19

"_TENZIN_ – Just what are you doing here?!" Kya blurted out when she saw her brother walking out of a high-class inn located at the center of town. Suyin stood beside her, speechless and with a look of utter bewilderment on her face. They had barely stepped into a teashop when Kya spotted her brother's lanky frame exiting the inn across the road.

Tenzin's face turned a deep shade of red. "I-I – er – I n-needed a v-vacation," he stuttered.

Suyin, who was visibly upset this time, grabbed him by the collar, her face inches in front of his. "Look here, _cousin_ –" she said between gritted teeth, "if you're looking for trouble, well you've come to the right place. Me and my _sister_ are in need of practice."

Kya gently pulled Suyin away. "What are you doing here, Tenzin?"

"Look, I just wanted to talk to Lin," Tenzin explained, smoothing his clothes.

Su glared at him. "Haven't you done enough trouble already? My sister most _certainly_ won't want to see you."

"Come on, you guys. Can we talk about this somewhere _private_?" Kya asked, standing in between her brother and her cousin. "There's a teashop just across the street, I'm sure we can talk this over _nicely_."

"Of course," Tenzin replied, regaining his composure. "I will talk to you – _if_ one of us agrees to act like an adult," he added, glancing at Suyin, who was scowling at him from where she stood.

"You're one to talk," Suyin replied darkly as Kya dragged her and Tenzin to the teashop.

* * *

><p>"How is she?" Tenzin asked the moment they were seated inside the teashop. Kya sat beside him, while Suyin sat in front of him, seemingly oblivious to his presence as she ran her eyes over the menu.<p>

"She's doing fine, Tenzin. You should've seen her belly! It's _so_ big," Kya replied cheerfully. "She's been blessed by the spirits with an easy pregnancy – can you believe she could still do earthbending even with a big belly?"

Suyin beckoned the attendant over to their table and started to place her order. "I'll have the peach blossom tea," she told the attendant, pointing at the menu. "What will you have, Kya?"

"Whatever you're having, Su. How about you, Tenzin?"

"Same," he replied, looking warily at Lin's younger sister. It seemed to him that all of Lin's anger had been projected to Suyin, as she was acting very rude to him at the moment. Her body language suggested that she was ready to metalbend the hell out of Tenzin for hurting her sister's feelings.

"We'll also be having your special rice cakes," Suyin added, sending the attendant on his way. Then she resumed looking out the shop window.

"Where were we? Oh, right – I was talking about Lin's easy pregnancy," Kya returned to her enthusiastic banter. "Yesterday we got her some baby stuff. Suyin here only wanted feminine things, but I told her to also get _boy stuff_ because I have an inkling that Linny will give birth to a girl _and_ a boy!"

Tenzin's heart skipped a beat when he heard Kya's news. "Really?" he asked gleefully.

"Yeah – don't you remember Mom teaching me how to do it? I'm a bit rusty with the skill, but I sense a girl _and_ a boy in Lin's tummy. However, I have _no_ idea whether they're benders or not. _I _never did get the hang of that," she mused.

"_I wish they were both earthbenders_," Suyin muttered under her breath.

He couldn't help but think Suyin was right – what would Lin do with an airbender, after all? If one of the babies turns out just like him, how would Lin explain this to the whole of Republic City? How would _he_ explain it to Pema? _Spirits, give her earthbender twins, _he prayed. _Please_.

The attendant came back, bearing a lacquered tray. He set it in front of the trio – Tenzin noticed that instead of the usual loose leaves, there were small buds in the teacups. Suyin gave the attendant a generous tip and began pouring hot water into the teacups.

"Lovely!" Kya exclaimed, looking at her tea. "Everytime I drink this feels like the first time."

Tenzin stared into his own cup and found that the bud was slowly opening, like a chrysanthemum flower, slowly diffusing its essence into the water. He smiled as he watched it slowly unraveling in his cup. "It's like magic, huh?" Kya asked.

"Can we just cut the crap?" Suyin declared, twisting the fork she was holding. "I know you're here for one thing only, _Tenzin_. I know you're here for my sister. But I'm telling you now - _please don't get her hopes up again_. The last time you were here, you left her in a mess. Can you imagine how much it hurts for me to see her like that?"

Tenzin tried to reach for his cousin's hand, but she swiftly pulled it away from him. "Please, just let me see her, Su."

"Oh, I'll let you see her, alright," she replied sarcastically. "But have you given a thought whether she wanted to see you or not?"

"I'm sure we can negotiate," Kya said thoughtfully.

"_Negotiate my ass!_" Suyin yelled, attracting the attention of the other customers. She pointed a finger at Kya. "Which side are you really on, Kya?!'

"Sides? I'm not taking sides," Kya replied, keeping her temper in check. "Please calm down, Su."

She nearly flipped the table over when she rose. "Just – just leave us alone okay?!" Suyin screamed, leaving the teashop. Kya and Tenzin looked on, flustered, as she slammed the door behind her.

Tenzin sighed. "Well I guess I'm too late now," he whispered.

Kya patted his back. "I could talk to Lin for you," she offered. "Perhaps I can arrange a meeting – _in secret_."

* * *

><p>Suyin ran straight to her room, fuming. <em>The nerve of that man<em>, she thought. _He thinks that just because he's the avatar's son, he could come barging into my sister's life and running just about everything!_ She stomped on the polished marble floor, leaving a sizeable indent on the stone.

Lin, who was napping just next door, heard the commotion and hurried to Suyin's room. She slid the door open and saw Suyin sprawled on the bed, crying. "What's wrong, sis? Did you and Baatar fight?"

"No," Suyin replied, wiping her cheeks and sitting up. "It's that _ex_ of yours, Linny."

She stood by the door, baffled by her sister's words. "And _what_ did Tenzin do to you to make you cry?"

"It's what he's _doing_ to you that makes me cry!" Suyin declared. "Oh, Lin! You _never_ wanted kids – but look at you now! You're gonna be a mother and it's _Tenzin_'s fault. You used to be really strong, sis – resilient even in the face of defeat – but now you're just watching things go by when you have every power in the world to change them!"

Lin walked over to Suyin's bed, seating herself right beside her sister. "While it's true that I didn't want children, it's not right for you to place all the blame on Tenzin. The night we made these babies – well, let's just say we were caught up in a flurry of our emotions and being – er – _safe_ – was the last thing on our minds. Stop crying, Su."

"But he's getting married to Pema," Suyin continued.

"Also my fault – I asked him to go on with the wedding despite the fact that I'm pregnant with his children, don't you remember?" she asked. "But I also wanted to be honest with you, Su. When I asked Tenzin to go ahead and marry Pema, I was… _hoping_ he would back out and come back to me."

"What?"

Lin snickered. "Yeah – you heard me right. Guess I got so used to having Tenzin with me, that I never thought he'd _truly_ leave me. You remember how Mom used to tell us to 'listen and wait', Su? Well, when Tenzin left Gaoling after the funeral, I waited for him. I figured that if he still loves me, he'd come back. But he didn't – instead he sent me a goodbye letter and drove the dagger deeper by telling me he still intends to marry Pema. So now, I guess I just have to deal with it and tough it out for the sake of my kids."

"What if I tell you Tenzin is here?" Su asked.

"You gotta be kidding me, Su."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**_I have a lot of chapters for this fic on queue, including a solo Pema chapter! I'm doing my best to edit them during my free time. :) _

_Next update will be on Sunday night, folks! (I'll try to update as early as I can, though.)_


	20. Chapter 20

Kya came back to the Beifong mansion at nightfall. The moment Lin knew she was home, she pulled Kya aside for a little talk. "Do you know?" she asked her friend, hoping Kya would get what she meant; judging by her deeply furrowed brows, Lin was sure Kya was quite flummoxed by her, too.

"Know… what?" Kya shot back, her blue eyes questioning.

"Your mom called today, and she was asking about Tenzin. She said he was missing," Lin clarified.

"Right – er – about Tenzin…" Kya began, wondering how she would explain the entire circumstance to her friend.

Lin put a hand over her mouth in surprise. "Is your brother… _here_?"

Kya nodded.

"I can't believe you, Kya! How could you keep it from me – from all of us? Everyone at Republic City is worried sick because _your_ brother is missing! Is it so hard for you to phone your Mom and tell her Tenzin's okay?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, Linny. Tenzin's staying at the Jade Dragon – you know, that big inn at the town center. And between you and me, well… I don't think Tenzin would appreciate it if you tell other people he's here," Kya explained.

"What's he here for?" Lin hissed.

Kya shifted uneasily, trying to gather the right words in her head."Erm… I – my goodness, _why is this so hard?_"

"Tell me, Kya," Lin told her gravely. Kya watched as worry slowly crept into her friend's beautiful face. "Is he here for me?"

Kya nodded slowly, then added, "He – he wants to talk to you, Lin. He wants to see how you are doing."

Lin turned away from the older woman, trying to hide her tears. _He came back,_ she thought, feeling the happiness build up in her chest. _Tenzin has come back._ She felt Kya place a hand on her shoulder. "Will you give him a chance, Lin?" she asked.

For the first time in her life, Lin was at a loss for words. If this was any other situation, she would have annoyed Kya with a snarky remark or two. Gently, she removed Kya's hand from her shoulder and walked out of the room.

"I understand if you don't wanna talk," she heard Kya call out. "But if you change your mind, Tenzin's gonna be waiting for you at the Jade Dragon – just so you know."

* * *

><p>Tenzin paced back and forth in his room, wondering whether Kya managed to convince Lin or not. Twice he was tempted to use the lobby phone and call the mansion; and he couldn't count how many times he thought of just outright walking to the mansion to talk to her face to face.<p>

"_Stupid. Of course she won't come_! I should've just stayed at home," he grumbled, throwing the windows open. The cold breeze that entered his room did little to calm his nerves - instead, it only built up the tension he had been feeling since arriving at Gaoling.

He sat on his bed and impatiently tapped his feet on the wooden floor.

_I'll stay up all night if I have to_.

* * *

><p>Lin glanced at the clock and back at the cloak she laid out on her bed. She excused herself from dinner, feigning a headache, when in reality she was considering Kya's offer to talk to Tenzin. Much to her surprise, Toph sent her on her way – Lin wondered whether her mom knew she was lying or not.<p>

_Five year-old Lin Beifong stood in their backyard, blindfolded and barefoot. Ever since her mother discovered that Lin could earthbend at the age of two, Lin spent her mornings at the backyard, honing her skills. Toph Beifong was determined to make her daughter a prodigy like herself, and so far, Lin was proving her right. Today was different, however – Toph decided to give Lin a shot at combative earthbending._

_Toph took a solid stance in front of her daughter, keeping her legs well rooted in the ground. "Show me what you got, Beifong."_

_Lin shifted her feet, encasing them in solid rock in order to gain solid footing. She raised two pillars of earth in front of her and began launching discs of hardened earth at her mother. Toph expertly dodged each one without even moving from her place. "Is that all you got, huh?" she taunted._

_Lin sent a rock flying through the air, hitting her mother squarely in the stomach. She braced herself, waiting for her mother to fight back, but Toph didn't. Thinking she must've hurt her mother really bad, Lin removed her blindfold and ran to her – that's when she felt the earth shift below her, and she suddenly found herself encased in rock up to her neck._

"_Hey, no fair!" she protested as the earth crumbled away from her body._

"_First rule – _never_ let your guard down," Toph laughed, mussing her daughter's hair. "As far as I'm concerned, we're still in combat, badgermole."_

_Lin shook away the dust clinging to her clothes. "But you weren't doing anything, so I thought you got hurt," she reasoned._

"_I was doing something," her mother replied, helping Lin up. "To become a powerful earthbender, you must concentrate on your jing – specifically, your _neutral_ jing."_

"_What's that mean, Mom?"_

"_Neutral jing is the key to earthbending, darling. It means listening and waiting for the right moment to strike. This is why the best earthbenders in the world often seem to do nothing before facing their attackers head-on," she explained. "So in essence, earthbending is listening and waiting."_

_Lin considered her mother's words for a moment. "I understand now, Mommy."_

"_So, ready to go another round?" Toph teased._

"_Nah, I wanna eat breakfast."_

"_Sure thing, partner."_

"Listen and wait, listen and wait," Lin muttered. She's done so much waiting and listening already; until today she thought everything was too late for her and Tenzin – that she missed her chance. Now he was here again, and Lin figured the opportunity to strike has come.

She grabbed her cloak and a pair of boots and stealthily stepped out into the cold night.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I did say Sunday night, but of course, I update earlier! Have fun!


	21. Chapter 21

Tenzin walked down the hall to the lobby, finally deciding to call Lin at the Beifong Mansion. He was about to ask the receptionist for the phone when a woman wearing a heavy, jade green brocade cloak approached the counter.

"I'm looking for this man, have you seen him?" Tenzin heard her ask, her voice slightly muffled by her hood and by the scarf he could see poking through her outer garment. He saw her hand a small photograph to the receptionist, pointing to it.

"Oh!" The receptionist, a perky young woman in her early twenties, gasped. "You're in luck! He's standing right behind you."

The lady turned towards him, her cloak billowing around her as she did. Her bright emerald eyes looked straight into his soul.

"Lin."

Her cheeks were red from the cold, and she was visibly exhausted – small beads of sweat were on her forehead and her breath came in shallow gasps. "Kya… she told me you would be waiting," she told him.

Tenzin was overjoyed to see her - in his joy, he pulled her close and into a tight embrace. Somewhere in the background, the perky receptionist was struggling to contain her giggles and sighs, obviously moved by the sudden display of affection in front of her. Lin yanked his head closer to hers, resting her forehead on his. He felt her body being shaken by sobs and thousands of words left unspoken between them.

"I prayed so hard for this moment to come," Lin whispered, never once pulling away. Tenzin planted a kiss on her forehead, and she let her tears finally spill. "Tenzin."

He pulled away, looking at her with sadness in his eyes. Taking her hand in his, he led her to the inner courtyard, towards a gazebo nestled in between the trees. Lin held onto him without protest, even as the cold air made her hands numb.

_Listen and wait_.

"Lin…" Tenzin allowed his voice to trail away into the night. His heart was full to bursting with mixed emotions that he didn't quite know what to tell the woman seated beside him. Lin adjusted her scarf so it clung to her tightly, obscuring Tenzin's view of the lower half of her face. She tucked her slender hands, almost blue from the cold, into the pockets of her cloak. By the look on her face, Tenzin knew she was just waiting for him to talk.

"I – I'm getting married when spring comes," he began, half-expecting Lin to slap him – but Lin's face remained serene. "And I just wanted to see you - how you're doing, I mean. Also, I wanted to tell you that if you ever need some assistance in raising the kids, well… er… I'm just a phone call away."

"Will you go back to Republic City after this?"

Tenzin shook his head. "I decided to have some time on my own – for a week or so. Yeah. Maybe I'll go south for a while – see how the people at the Southern Temple are doing."

_Please stay,_ she thought. "You should call home, Tenzin. Your mother called this morning and she is worried sick about you."

Tenzin remained motionless.

Lin reached up and touched his face, right where Bumi's fist made its mark. "You're hurt," she said gently. "Is it Bumi?" Tenzin closed his eyes at the tenderness of her touch, remembering how she used to hold him. She calmly put her hand down, letting it rest on top of Tenzin's. "I'm sorry."

"I deserved this," he said, smiling at her – "this and worse."

"Why are you here, Tenzin?" she asked him.

He sighed in reply.

She squeezed Tenzin's hand. "You can tell me anything."

"I want to be honest to myself and to you, Lin. The truth is, I went here because… I am having _doubts_ about my coming wedding."

Lin tried to keep a straight face, despite Tenzin's revelation. _Listen and wait_. Suddenly Tenzin's face was right in front of her – he gently loosened her scarf and kissed her lips. It wasn't like any of the kisses they used to share – this time it was _needier_, more passionate like only a first kiss in such a long time should be. Lin found herself delighting in Tenzin's kiss, but she reluctantly pulled away. "This is wrong, Tenzin," she quivered. "I don't want to be the ruin of your engagement."

Tenzin stared at her for the longest time. "I love you, Lin. I am who I am because of you. You are everything to me, and every dream I've ever had, and no matter what happens to us, I will always be yours."

She swiftly drew away from him. "Please, Tenzin. Don't torment me with your promises and your sweet talk. At the end of the day, we all know who will win – and it's Pema. You are bound to her in the eyes of everyone. And I – I'm just an old flame of yours, a fleeting fancy, a childhood love. You don't know what you are saying."

"Lin, _please_."

Lin faced him, her emerald eyes misty with tears. "Tell me, Tenzin - what do you want?"

"I don't know, okay?" he shot back.

Lin tried to regain her composure by breathing deeply. "You don't know what you want, but you kissed me. _What do you want?!"_

"You cannot go around asking me what I want, Lin – because it's not as simple as it looks!"

Lin felt an ache in her belly, but chose to ignore it. "Face it, Tenzin. At some point, you have to choose. And whatever choice you make, you have to live with it forever, even if you will regret it. Nothing is scarier than regret," she told him calmly.

_Nothing is scarier than regret_ – there it is again, spoken this time by Lin. "Lin, I want you, and I cannot lie. But Pema is waiting for me back home, and so is my family. I made a promise and I cannot afford to break it."

She wanted to slap him so hard, just to see if he would finally wake up and realize whatever it was that he really wanted. "Stop being such a pain in the ass, Tenzin," she told him coolly. "And could you please stop thinking about what everyone else expects of you? All your life, you've been ruled by those expectations. For once in your life, do something that would make you happy, and don't give a damn whatever people will say."

"You're one to talk," he retorted. "Didn't you live your life according to what you thought your mother expected of you?"

"I _learned_ from my mistakes, Tenzin." She pointed a finger at his chest. "I lost you and everything that mattered to me. But if you can look me in the eyes _right now_ and tell me that you could clearly picture a future _without me_, then so be it. I won't fight."

He looked at her, his grey eyes trying to break through the invisible walls she has put up. "I don't want to spend the rest of my life dreaming of things that might've been," he sighed.

"Listen – don't take my advice. Don't listen to _anyone_'s advice, for that matter," Lin said, placing a hand on Tenzin's chest. "Trust your heart. This is _your_ life, you can do whatever you want. It's all up to you." Lin pulled him towards her, and this time, it was she who kissed him. Tenzin responded to her, softening like melting wax under her touch. _I don't care what they say when they see me like this, kissing him like there's no tomorrow, _Lin thought. _What matters is here and now. He is here. He is mine once more, and I will never let him go_.

Tenzin pushed her down, trying to get some control over her. Her scarf, amazingly, seemed to be missing – before she realized it, Tenzin was trailing kisses along her neck, biting down on her ever so gently. A moan escaped her lips as she grasped Tenzin by the hair, feeling electrified as his lips seemed to set her skin on fire. She greedily looked for his lips with her own, and finding them, bit down hard enough to draw blood. Finally they drew away from each other, breathless, their lips smeared with crimson.

Lin wiped her lips, rising from her seat. She cringed at the pain she felt in her abdomen as she rose, but she took a deep breath and it disappeared. "I have to go."

He offered to walk her out, but she refused.

Lin hoped that all the listening and waiting was worth it.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _This is, so far, my favorite chapter ever! I hope you guys like it too!_

_I'll be doing a triple shift after this, so please expect an update on Wednesday. :) Thanks!_


	22. Chapter 22

She shot up from her bed, feeling a sharp pain coursing through her body. She had no idea how she got home the night before – everything she did after her meeting with Tenzin was blurry in her mind. She placed a hand on her abdomen, relieved to feel her babies' heartbeats. With much difficulty, she rose from her bed and made her way to the bathroom.

One thing she hated about being pregnant was the fact that she had to pee constantly, because the growing babies in her womb were crushing all the surrounding organs in her body. By the time she was seated on the toilet, something warm was already beginning to trickle down her legs. She got a small towel and began wiping herself, but dropped it in shock when she saw what she had been wiping.

Blood.

For a moment, she was at a loss. She rose from the toilet and opened the bathroom door, walking quickly to her bed. Sure enough, the rumpled sheets were stained with blood. She felt her belly once more, trying to sense her babies' heartbeats. They were still there, but it seemed to her as if one was getting weaker.

"No…"

Lin was panicking, her breath coming in short, shallow gasps. She felt her hands growing number by the minute, and her vision blacking out.

"Mom?"

_Please come faster,_ she thought.

"Mom? Kya?"

_Please!_

"Su?! Please – Su! Help me!"

Suyin heard her sister's cries and rushed to Lin's room. "Lin? What is – Oh no… Lin – you – you – stay p-put – erm – MOM! KYA!" she screamed.

Toph ran to her daughter's room as fast as she could the moment she heard her elder daughter scream. "What's the matter? Why do I smell _blood_? Lin? Lin, are you – oh spirits, the babies!"

Kya entered the room, bringing with her a jar of water. Lin clung to her, white-knuckled. "My babies, please, Kya – they're dying in there – I don't want to _lose_ them – _please!"_

"We have to get your babies out, Lin. They're showing signs of distress," she said calmly, assessing Lin's situation. "But we have to induce labor contractions – and I might need herbs for that." She raised her hands and began bending healing water all over Lin's belly. "For now, all I can do is stop the bleeding and strengthen the life force of the babies."

"I… I need Tenzin," Lin gasped. "Please, please get Tenzin."

Toph faced her younger daughter, who was still clearly in a state of shock. "Well, you heard her!"

Suyin turned from the scene rather clumsily. "On it, Chief!"

* * *

><p><em>The things I do for love<em>, Suyin thought as she sprinted through the streets of Gaoling's town center, adrenaline rushing through her body. _I don't want my sister to die – the spirits can take Tenzin!_

Finally she reached the apricot-colored façade of the Jade Dragon. Taking a minute to compose herself, she stepped into the inn. An annoyingly perky young woman was at reception, talking to an equally annoying young woman dressed in blue next to her. "Excuse me, but I need to know if a guy named Tenzin is staying here," she said, trying to catch her breath.

"Tenzin?" the woman in blue asked her back.

Su rolled her eyes. "Yes, _Tenzin_. Tall airbender? Bald? Have you seen him?"

The perky young woman's face lit up. "Oh, you mean _lover boy_? He was here with a woman last night!" She turned to the woman in blue. "That's what I was telling you a while ago! Last night, one of our visitors – the airbender guy – was with a beautiful woman, a _rich_ beautiful woman, by the looks of it. You should have seen her cloak! It was silk brocade of the finest jade green! They were hugging and kissing right there," she said, pointing at a spot not far away from Suyin.

She had heard enough. Slamming her fist, Su made a deep crack on the stone countertop. "_I_ was asking _you_ about Tenzin's _whereabouts,_" she addressed both ladies darkly. "_I didn't come here to talk about who he was kissing!_ Now where is he?"

"He – he j-just checked out t-this morning," the perky woman replied, checking the register. "Yes… a-about six in the morning today."

"Did he tell you where he's going next?"

With a shaky voice, the receptionist replied, "H-he said he's g-going to the Southern A-air Temple. He also left a letter, but we – er – haven't sent it yet."

"Who's it for?" Suyin asked, eyeing a lone envelope nestled in one of the pigeonholes.

"It's for a – a Miss Lin Beifong," the receptionist replied. "We will have it delivered personally to her at – at t-the Beifong Mansion."

"I'm her sister," Suyin piped. "Can you _please_ give the letter to me?"

The receptionist handed her the letter, her hands sweaty and shaking. Suyin, without a doubt, scared the living daylight out of the poor girl.

"_Thank you_," Suyin told them sharply, turning her back from them. "And before I forget –" she added, fixing a sideways glance at the countertop she just bent, "have that counter of yours replaced. Such an… _esteemed_ establishment like yours shouldn't have poor facilities. Go to Tanaka's and order one – tell them the Beifongs gifted it to you."

As she slid the door behind her, she heard one of them whisper, "Oh my – wasn't that Suyin Beifong?"

_Damn right you are, _she thought, tucking the letter into her pocket.

* * *

><p>Kya ran a list of herbs through her mind while she tended over Lin, who was now unconscious in bed. The bleeding had stopped, luckily, and she was able to restore some of the babies' life force. From time to time she ran some healing water over Lin, soothing the distressed infants inside her friend's womb.<p>

Toph sat beside her daughter, holding the latter's arm in a vise-like grip. "Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes – I think so. But I don't think she can carry the twins to term," Kya replied.

"So – you are going to induce birth?"

Kya nodded before realizing Toph couldn't see her. "Don't worry, Aunt Toph – Mom has taught me well. I just need the right herbs and we could go along smoothly."

"She's been worried about this, you know," Toph said, wiping sweat from Lin's forehead. "She's so scared she might do something wrong and _lose_ the babies. Thanks for being here, Kya. I could've lost all three of them if it weren't for you."

"We're family, Auntie," she smiled.

Suyin stepped into the room, sweating. Her cheeks were flushed with color from sprinting through town. "Kya, Tenzin has left for the Southern Air Temple."

"Hey – you girls told me he was in town!" Toph exclaimed.

"I checked with the inn, Mom – they told me checked out this morning at six," Su replied. "And – er – _Lin_, well… she – she came to see him last night."

"We can talk about _that_ later," Toph dismissed. "Your sister asked for him. She needs him right at this moment. I think we should call Katara and see if he's back."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Hooray! 24 more hours to go and I can finally edit the other chapters! Have fun reading, guys!_ :))


	23. Chapter 23

The family home at Air Temple Island has been thrown into chaos the day Tenzin disappeared. Aang went on with his council duties as usual, but left the city hall early and went scouting throughout the city; Katara busied herself phoning family friends, just in case Tenzin happened to be with them; Pema was inconsolable, she spent hours on end weeping in her room. Bumi, meanwhile, sat in the meditation pavilion, taking in the view of the glistening waters of Yue Bay.

Tenzin has been gone for almost three days now, and no one – not even the Beifongs and Tenzin's few friends – have heard of him.

"Airhead's probably in Gaoling right now, trying to recover from cracked ribs," he muttered, laughing at his vision of Tenzin all bandaged up in bed. _Or he could be with Lin right now, eating snacks and being fancy. _Either way, he was happy for his brother – Tenzin certainly deserved to be beaten up by the Beifongs; and even if Bumi wanted to deny it, his brother also deserved to be happy with Lin.

Bumi turned his head when he heard his father landing on the courtyard in his glider. Aang looked twice as tired today. "Hey, son," he greeted.

"Dad."

"No news on Tenzin yet?" Aang asked as he walked up to Bumi. The latter shook his head. "Personally, I'm not worried about your brother _that much_."

Bumi had a feeling his father knew all about Tenzin's sudden decision to leave home, but he decided to ask, nevertheless. "Why?"

Aang leaned on one of the wooden pillars. "Tenzin's _aura_ has been out of balance for a long time now," he began. Bumi knew his father was very much in tune with the spiritual, but he never thought it would extend to reading auras. "I noticed it when he – _he decided to marry Pema_."

"You could've just told him about it, Dad. I'm sure Tenzin could've worked it out."

Aang scoffed. "Oh, believe me, son – he tried. Overtime, his fondness for Pema _did_ turn to love, but I'm afraid he just can't love her the way he does Lin. I'm not saying this because I like Lin, but because I want what's best for Tenzin. I want what's best for _all _of my children."

He was glad his father shared the same opinion – this _thing_ that Tenzin and Lin are in, it was just so _toxic_. It was the sort of thing that slowly creeps up on you, giving you space to make choices and change your life, until one day, you just wake up with the deepest feelings of regret and sadness.

"Pema is a nice young woman, I'll give you that," Aang continued, "and she's like Tenzin in every way. _Too much_ like Tenzin."

Bumi raised his brows. "But Lin and Tenzin are complete opposites, Dad. Pema seems much more of a perfect fit, if I may say so."

Aang tilted his head and recited a poem:

_Blossoms reach _

_For the sun high above,_

_But roots search_

_For water underground._

"Sun and rain, Bumi," he added. "Complete opposites, but only by working together do they create harmony. You can see it all around you."

* * *

><p>"Drink up, Lin," Kya handed her friend, who was still in bed, a mug. Lin looked into the mug and found her nose being assaulted by a bitter smell. She turned to Kya with a questioning look.<p>

Kya laughed gently. "Come on, it's not so bad. That's blue and black cohosh tea. You need to drink it to induce labor."

Lin took a sip. Once the liquid hit her tongue, she felt bile threatening to go up her gut. "It's _horrible_! Do I need to drink all of this?"

"Yes you do. When the contractions come, we'll switch to red raspberry tea," Kya replied.

"Can't I put sugar in here?"

Kya shook her head.

Lin pinched her nose and downed the warm liquid all in one go, feeling the bitterness hang around in her mouth. "Are my babies okay?"

"They were showing signs of distress," Kya replied, cutting up more cohosh for Lin's tea. "And the bleeding was pretty bad, so I need to get them out as soon as possible – hence, our tea. I may have to massage your belly a bit, so I can orient the babies properly."

"Is Tenzin…"

"I'm sorry, Lin. Your sister checked with the inn, and they told her Tenzin has left for the Southern Air Temple."

"Oh."

"Anyway," Kya began, trying to act cheery, "You have to take your tea every hour, until you start to feel pain – like, _I-wanna-die_ type of pain. And then we can switch to the more – er – _palatable_ variety." She busied herself, separating the roots she cut up into portions for Lin.

Lin closed her eyes. _So much for neutral jing_, she thought_. He chose Pema over me – how very air nomad of him, trying to avoid conflict and all._

"Lin. Lin, are you okay?"

"Yeah – I'm okay."

Kya stared at her with concern."Do you – er – _d'youwammetocallome_?"

"What?"

She cleared her throat, feeling nervous. "I mean, do you want me to call home? To tell everyone about you?" Lin's hands trembled so bad, Kya had to reach out and steady them. "It's okay if you don't want to tell them, Lin. It was a stupid suggestion, anyway."

"I can't do it, Kya," she sobbed. "I can't do this alone. I need him – _I want him_. I should've said yes when he proposed – I-I shouldn't have been so _selfish_!"

Kya gently stroked Lin's back, "Lin, it's no one's fault, alright? You are not selfish for wanting to live up to your mom's name in the same way that Tenzin isn't selfish for wanting to be like our dad. Please don't cry," she soothed. "Everything will turn out the way it's supposed to be."

"But what if he's really fated to marry someone else?"

"Love finds a way," Kya replied dreamily. "Do you believe in _en?_ It's a karmic bond that lasts lifetimes. Everyone thinks that their lives are entirely matters of choice, but I tell you, Lin, otherwise. I'd like to think that each of us is a piece of clay – that we will forever hold the fingerprints of those who have touched our lives. You and Tenzin – you have something special, Lin. You both worked so hard; you tried to mend each other before giving up. _Your love can transcend lifetimes_. You may not work out in this lifetime, but I am pretty sure that you will keep finding each other in every other lifetime you'll have."

Lin looked at her intently, trying to understand the depth of her friend's words.

"I don't know if this makes sense, okay – but the best thing for you to do at this moment is to turn around so that you no longer face the past. You're gonna be a mother soon, Lin. Turn your face towards the future, uncertain as it may be."

"Gods, you must think I'm silly," Lin chuckled through her tears. "I guess it's this _pregnancy_ changing my mood all the time. I was pretty confident I could raise the twins as a single mom, but…"

"You don't have to be alone," Kya smiled.

Lin smiled back, squeezing her friend's hand.


	24. Chapter 24

Lin would rather spend the day walking around the house, but Toph, Su and Kya insisted that she stay in bed. In the meantime, she wiled her time away by having her favorite books brought to her room and reading them aloud. "Hang in there, little guys," Lin whispered, placing her hand on her belly. Although she hated the cohosh teas that Kya brewed for her, she took them religiously, constantly wondering why the contractions haven't come yet, despite it being two days since almost miscarrying the kids.

She took a book from her nightstand – it was the book of Earth Kingdom lore she had been reading a few days ago – and flicked through the pages until she found her favorite. "I haven't read this to you yet," she said, running a hand over the richly illustrated page. "It's the tale of the first earthbenders, Oma and Shu. They learned bending from badgermoles, like your Grandma."

She felt a weak kick from one of the twins, and she smiled. "They were lovers too – and they didn't let anything stop their love," she sighed. "Don't you wish it was the same for Mommy and Daddy?"

"Hey," Suyin greeted, carrying with her a tray. "Have you been talking to yourself again?"

"I was talking to my kids," Lin replied. "What's that?"

Suyin set the tray down on Lin's nightstand. "Pan-fried noodles, your favorite. Eat up – Mom told me to give you an extra large portion."

Lin out the book down and grabbed the bowl of noodles from the tray. "Where's Kya?"

"She's in town, sending a telegram to Republic City," her sister replied, opening the book Lin just put down. "I didn't know you like the story of Omashu, sis."

She slurped her noodles noisily – Lin has never felt so famished before. "It's a pretty decent bedtime story," she mumbled in between mouthfuls. "Also, I read it aloud for the kids."

"I read somewhere that letting babies listen to music while in the womb makes them smarter," Su added. "Have you tried that?"

Lin scowled. "Have you heard today's music? It's all about lost love and what not."

"Well, I guess you've been listening to the wrong radio stations. There are pretty decent stations that play classic instrumental music."

"Is it time for my tea yet?"

Su glanced at the clock on the wall. "Nope. Thirty minutes more."

"Why won't the contractions start yet?" Lin wondered aloud. "I can't stand the tea that Kya's making me drink anymore. It's tastes _terrible_."

"I don't know how you feel, _but_ I pray not to experience the same when my time comes," Su deadpanned. "How about I get your yueqin and my flute – then let's make some music together?"

Lin looked at her belly. "It's kinda hard to hold the yueqin because my belly is so _big_," she mused. "Why don't you play the flute for me, Su?

"Sure thing – hey, eat your noodles. I want it all gone when I come back with my flute."

* * *

><p>She listened as the phone rang once, twice, thrice. Kya went to the post office to have a telegram sent, but settled on calling home instead. She hoped Tenzin would pick up. <em>Please pick up, please pick up.<em>

"Hello?" Bumi's gruff voice greeted her.

"Bumi? Bumi is that you?"

"Hey, Ky."

"Where's Tenzin? Is he there?"

"Still no sign. Why?"

"Can you tell him to call me at the Beifongs once he gets home?"

The urgency in his sister's voice told Bumi something was amiss. "Hey – is everything alright over there?"

Kya hesitated for a moment, unsure of what to say. "Can you – er – can you get mom for me?"

"SOMETHING _IS_ WRONG!" Bumi screamed into the receiver. "Is Lin alright?"

Kya facepalmed. "Bumi. Get. Mom. Now."

She heard the sounds of the receiver being put down, and then her brother's heavy footsteps fading away. The man in the counter looked at Kya expectantly. "I'll pay, okay?" silently, Kya cursed herself for not deciding to use the phone earlier on, while she was still at the Beifong Mansion – it could've saved her time _and_ yuans.

"Hello?" her mother's gentle voice came on the line. "Kya?"

Relief flooded her once she heard Katara's voice on the phone. "Mom, I need your help. It's Lin – she bled really bad the other day and almost lost the babies. I managed to stop the bleeding and the pain, but –"

"A-are they alright?" Katara asked, worried.

"For the time being, yes. I made Lin drink cohosh," Kya replied. "I sensed the babies getting weaker, so I figured I had to get them out as soon as possible."

"And have the contractions begun?"

Kya sighed. "No mom. Lin has had a lot of doses already – what am I supposed to do?"

"Honey, you have to ask her to walk around and do exercise. It's gonna help."

"Mom?"

"Yes sweetheart?"

"Lin… she – er – she asked for Tenzin. She wants him here. Can you – er – can you tell him?"

"I don't know, Kya... we still haven't heard from your brother."

"Well… if – if he comes back, can you tell him, Mom? I have to go. Bye." Kya hung up, tossing a few bills on the counter.

Back at Air Temple Island, Bumi stared as his mother softly put the receiver down. "Well?"

Katara wrung the hem of her tunic – something she does when she was worried or nervous. "Kya told me something… about _Lin_," she began, tears already starting to spill from her eyes. "Oh, Bumi – she almost lost the babies! Poor thing! I should've been there, son – I should've been the one tending to her."

"The babies? W-what?"

Katara sobbed into her hands. "Your sister said that Lin bled the other day. Kya stopped the bleeding, but now she's working hard to keep the babies alive – and to keep the mother safe."

Bumi paced the floor. With Tenzin missing and Lin on the verge of losing the twins, he realized all of them were in more trouble than they could handle. "Kya was looking for Tenzin."

"Lin was asking for your brother, Bumi," she replied, wiping her face. "This was what your father and I were afraid of since we found out Lin was pregnant. We both knew it would only be a matter of time until Lin asks for him to be with her again – but we didn't think it would be like _this_."

"My brother is not the smartest knife in the kitchen," Bumi deadpanned. "Why did you let things spin out of control, Mom?"

"Son, your father and I could only go so far as to tell Tenzin what we think is right. As much as possible we want him to own up to his actions and be a responsible father to his children, but in the end, he's the one in control."

"Lin deserves more," Bumi sighed. "And the children…"

Katara gazed at her son, her blue eyes swimming with tears.

"They don't need to suffer because of their parents."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _There you go! Two chapters for you guys! Next update will be on Saturday night! :D_


	25. Chapter 25

Pema seemed to sense the strangely unsettled atmosphere in the house – tensions were already running high since they started the wedding preparations, but they suddenly spiked when Tenzin disappeared. Even before leaving, Pema noticed how unusually moody and pensive Tenzin has become. Sometimes she would try to ask him why, but she failed to coax out an answer from him.

_Maybe it's an airbender thing_, she thought, busying herself with the dress she was embroidering. The dress was her pride and joy – she had been spending months making it so she could wear it in time for her wedding. It was made of heavy white silk which Pema embroidered with cranes, pine needles and mandarin ducks – considered auspicious motifs in many traditions all over the world.

Up until now, she can't believe her luck. She came to Republic City years ago, when she was sixteen. She remembered being astonished by all the tall buildings, the vehicles, and seemingly glitzy lifestyle of the citizens. She fondly recalled the first time she set foot on Air Temple Island, together with a few young and equally starry-eyed would-be acolytes.

Most of all, she remembered the first time she laid eyes on Tenzin.

_She followed, wide-eyed, as Xing Ying led them on a tour of Air Temple Island. They soon arrived at a rocky outcrop overlooking the bay, where a pavilion was built. She saw a young man in air nomad robes, talking and holding hands with a young woman dressed in the latest fashion._

"_That must be the Avatar's son," the boy behind Pema whispered._

_The young man in air nomad robes seemed to have noticed them approaching, as he started walking towards Pema's group. He still held the young woman's hand in his, and they seemed to be giggling about something._

"_Hello, Master Tenzin," Xing Ying greeted with a bow. She turned to the young woman with Tenzin and smiled. "Detective Beifong! It's been a while!"_

"_Are these the new acolytes?" Master Tenzin asked. The moment Pema heard the rich baritone of his voice, she couldn't take her eyes off him. Like his father, the Avatar, Master Tenzin's head was neatly shaven, showing off his blue arrow tattoo. He had a strong jaw, a beautifully-chiseled nose, and soft grey eyes that seemed to radiate warmth and serenity._

"_I'm Tenzin, Avatar Aang's son. I'll be helping around with your training, so – er – yeah, I guess you'll be seeing a lot of me from now on," he smiled, addressing all of them. He put his arm around the woman beside him. "This is Detective Lin Beifong, of the Republic City Police- Toph Beifong's daughter."_

"_Toph Beifong, as in _the_ Toph Beifong?" one of them asked. Detective Beifong just giggled._

_Pema found herself staring at Detective Beifong more than can be considered proper. She was tall, almost as tall as Master Tenzin, and she was beautiful. Her eyes were of a bright emerald green, and they seemed to sparkle every which way she looked; her nose was slender; her mouth, a delicate rosebud; her face, which was blessed with high cheekbones, was framed by delicate black waves that were swept to one side, cascading along her shoulder. She was wearing a simple, figure hugging dress that showed off her amazing figure and her smooth, milk white skin._

"_I guess we better get going then," Xing Ying said. "You guys look like you're going out for tonight."_

Pema smiled at the memory of their first meeting. Who would've thought that she would end up engaged to Tenzin? Back then, everyone thought – or rather, _expected_ Tenzin to end up with Lin Beifong; it was just so _obvious_, so _inevitable_, since the two were the best of friends and had been a couple since Tenzin was seventeen. Nobody expected that Tenzin would soon be tying the knot with Pema – the complete opposite of Lin Beifong - and so _soon_ after their widely-publicized breakup.

When Tenzin's family made the engagement known, the public was thrown into a tizzy – each had an opinion of his own. Some thought it was rather insensitive of Tenzin to go marry someone else right after the breakup; some thought it was good for Tenzin – Captain Beifong, after all, was taking too long – and it was only natural for a man to find someone to settle down and have children with.

Tenzin and Lin were celebrities in their own right – Tenzin, after all, was the first airbender to be born in more than a hundred years, and Lin was, as proudly declared by her mother, the greatest earthbender in the world (after herself, of course) – so when Tenzin announced his intention to marry Pema, she suddenly found herself under the limelight, attending social events hand in hand with Tenzin.

Tenzin was everything she had dreamed of: tall, handsome, intelligent and much more. So when he finally returned her affections, Pema was overjoyed. He was a perfect gentleman, if somewhat brooding at times. Like the damsel who waited patiently for her true love to come, Pema welcomed Tenzin with open arms. Finally, her prince has come.

But it was different lately.

Some nights she would hear muffled voices that sounded like Aang and Tenzin arguing; sometimes she would walk in on Tenzin and his mother huddled together in one corner, heads close together in serious conversation. Katara might dismiss her with a simple wave or a smile, but Pema knew by the look on Tenzin's face that something was wrong. He might not tell her, but she _felt_ it – and it hit her hard. She had a feeling Tenzin was in such a funk because of his visit to Gaoling last summer.

Ever since coming home from that visit, she noticed that Tenzin became more and more of a loner; that he has been overly moody and jumpy at times. Pema noticed his frequent absences from group meditations as well as the extended hours he pulled in doing council work which could otherwise be done by his father.

When it was just the two of them (which now happens less often, as Tenzin was always away), he would space out for a goof number of minutes, wearing a troubled look on his face. Usually, when she asks him what the trouble was, Tenzin would open up immediately. Lately though, he dismiss her by saying things like "_just some council stuff_" or "_I don't wanna talk about it_".

Although Pema grew up with the firm belief that communication is the key to successful relationships, she gave Tenzin as much consideration as she could; for even though she believed in free flowing communication, she knew there are some things that aren't "okay" for couples to talk about – that even though they could be considered as "one heart and one soul", they are still individuals and are of course entitled to their own thoughts, free to do whatever they choose with them – including keeping some things private.

Just this morning, she overheard Katara and Bumi talking to each other about Lin Beifong and some _babies_ – Katara's voice was full of worry, while Bumi sounded really angry at Tenzin, muttering something about sharpest knives and what not. Pema wasn't one to pry (or be suspicious, for that matter), so she tried to shrug it off as Bumi being Bumi.

A thread caught on the fabric, tangling upon itself in the process.

"Oh no," she muttered, trying to salvage as much of the finished work and realizing she would have to embroider the same part all over again. She got a pair of shears and cut the tangles loose.

She wondered how everything felt like for Lin Beifong – after the breakup and the announcement of the engagement, she disappeared together with her mother. How did Lin, Tenzin's childhood love, cope with the loss? Did she go to Gaoling to turn over a new leaf – to start over again?

Pema always thought of Lin as a strong woman, someone who doesn't put up with wishy-washy nonsense like many women her age do. Just the thought of Lin scared her, and yet sometimes – well, most of the times, really – Pema felt a pang of guilt whenever she thought of how, in Lin's eyes, she _stole_ Tenzin away. It wounded her whenever Aang and Katara fondly reminisced about Tenzin's youth – because Lin would inevitably be mentioned; Pema's future in-laws would talk about Tenzin and Lin's childhood antics, their academic milestones and all the other things they used to do together, which was just about _everything_. Although the avatar and his wife were warm and loving to Pema, they absolutely _doted_ on Lin as if she was one of their own. During those moments, Pema felt like an intruder to the family.

These days, in the midst of the hustle and bustle of the wedding preparations, Pema couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that somehow, Tenzin and Lin are still involved with each other. Not necessarily in a romantic way (she hoped), but something else. Their families were in it too, somehow, and Pema felt that this involvement, whatever it was, had something to do with Aand and Tenzin's arguments and Bumi's rough treatment of his brother. Even Katara, who immediately took a liking for Pema, seemed to be hiding something from her.

Tenzin's dark moods and Lin's continued silence scared her.

"Shut up, you," she muttered berating herself for thinking of such things. "He's just feeling nervous about the wedding."

She picked up her needle and resumed sewing, letting out a little gasp when she felt the needle pierce though her skin. Pema watched in dismay as little drops of the deepest red dripped onto the pair of mandarin ducks she embroidered, bleeding into the threads and making nasty crimson splotches all over them.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _An update, as promised! This is one of my favorites. :) You guys could actually google the significance of cranes, pine needles and mandarin ducks in both Chinese and Japanese culture to help you understand the symbolism of sorts in this chapter. Next update on Tuesday!_


	26. Chapter 26

Toph Beifong rested her feet firmly on the ground as both of her daughters were doing earthbending in the rock garden. "Hey Kya, are you sure it's okay for Lin to do this?" she asked worriedly.

"Yes Auntie. I called mom and she told me exercise would – LIN! Could you stop hurling rocks over your sister's head?!"

Lin placed the rocks – almost boulders, actually – back on the ground. She looked at Kya with confusion written all over her face. "I thought you said earthbending was okay?"

"I said _light_ earthbending," Kya called back. "Can you just do what I say? I can't afford to have you bleeding all over the place again."

Suyin sent pebbles flying towards her sister, which Lin countered by erecting a wall of solid earth in front of her, acting as a shield.

Lin turned back to Kya and continued arguing. "Mom, can you tell her there's no such thing as light earthbending?"

"There's no such thing as light earthbending," Toph echoed her daughter blandly.

"See?"

"Come on, sweetheart, just listen to Kya," her mother piped, feeling the vibrations as Lin stomped a foot on the ground, sending a wave towards Suyin. Toph shifted her foot a little, smiling as she heard Lin complain about being immobile. "No sparring, Lin," she reminded her daughter.

"_Even just a little?_" she asked sweetly.

"No."

Suyin laughed. "You heard Mom, Linny! You can't beat me up this time!"

"That goes for you as well, young lady!" Toph yelled at her younger daughter.

* * *

><p>Lin went to bed early that night, having been exhausted by the day's exercise. Although she was tired, she relished feeling one with her element once more. When she felt the earth against her bare feet for the first time in months, she felt giddy and light-headed – it was as if she could <em>hear<em> the earth singing to her. "Earthbending is fun, little badgermoles. When you turn out to be earthbenders, the three of us will have so much to bond over," she whispered, resting her head on her pillow and falling into a deep sleep.

She must've been asleep for an hour or two when she felt her pain in her spine. _I think I overdid my exercise._ Taking a deep breath, she tried to get out of bed to call Kya, who, since Lin's little incident, shared Suyin's room.

Surprisingly, however, Lin's mother immediately opened the door. "They're up, kid. Don't worry," she assured, helping her up.

"Mom?"

"I couldn't sleep," Toph explained. "I was… _afraid._"

Kya entered the room carrying a waterskin, her hair still tousled from sleep. Behind her was Suyin, vigorously rubbing her stomach like she always does when she wakes up from sleep. Kya hurried to Lin's bedside, running cold water over Lin's belly.

Lin gasped when she felt the cold water come in contact with her skin.

"Sorry," Kya mumbled. "I sense the babies better this way." She ran her hand over Lin a couple more times, and then put the water back in the container. "Have you been experiencing pain?"

"My lower back hurts, like something is grinding against it," she replied, holding her mother's hand.

"That's actually a good sign!" Kya smiled. "It means the babies are getting into position. Su, could you get the red raspberry tea?"

"Yeah, sure," Suyin replied, still half asleep. Lin watched as her sister slowly lumbered out of the room. She wondered if Su would remember what she was supposed to get when she's fully awake.

Lin turned to her mother. "Was it like this when you were pregnant with me?"

"Nope. I mean, I carried you to term and I didn't need tea, so… but you'll be fine, kid. You're tough. We can manage," she replied.

Kya rubbed a sweet-smelling ointment into her hands. "I'm just going to massage your belly for a bit, so you could relax – and to help ease the babies into the proper position for birth. And then when Su comes back with your tea –"

"Er – Kya?" Su poked her head in the doorway. "What was I supposed to get again?"

"The red raspberry tea, Su. It's in a box on the nightstand," Kya replied. She resumed massaging Lin's belly. "The contractions will come more often now, okay? You have to keep track of them over the next twelve hours – most of them will be false contractions anyway, so when you feel a really excruciating one, let me know."

Lin nodded.

"I'll stay with you here, badgermole," Toph said, climbing into the bed beside her daughter.

Kya wiped her hands on her nightgown. "I guess that's it! You won't get lots of sleep tonight if the contractions come in really close to each other. If we're lucky, you might see your kids tomorrow evening."

Lin reached for Kya's hand. "Thanks, Ky. Where would we all be without you?"

"Kya? I can't find the tea," Suyin called out.

"And they say I'm blind!" Toph grumbled.


	27. Chapter 27

Republic City's skyline loomed into view when Tenzin crossed over the mountains on Oogi's back. Beyond the bay, still shrouded in mist and twilight, was Air Temple Island. He had been gone for almost a week, going against Lin's advice about contacting his family regarding his whereabouts.

Silently, he landed Oogi near a dense grove of trees. Taking what little he brought for his trip, he descended from the bison, his robes flapping noisily against the cold sea breeze. Light on his feet, as usual, Tenzin made his way through the lawn towards the main house.

Tenzin was glad he made it home right before sunrise. If anyone was up at this early, it would only probably be his parents, and even then they would still be lounging in bed, half-asleep. Pema and all the other acolytes would be up once Aang rings the bell – probably at six in the morning. Tenzin was happy that no one was up, because he was sure they would make a fuss out of him coming home.

The time he spent alone at the Southern Air Temple refreshed his spirit, and by the time he decided to go home, Tenzin had his mind all made up. The only thing left for him to do was to break the news to everybody.

He had barely stepped through the backdoor entrance when he heard his mother singing an old Water Tribe melody. Looking around, he saw Katara with her back to him, heating some water over the stove. He tiptoed quietly to where she was, and set his bag down on the counter.

"Mother."

Katara turned to him – her face was, for a moment, pale – but soon enough she regained composure. She held out both of her arms, beckoning to her son. Tenzin eagerly walked into his mother's embrace, grateful for the silence with which she welcomed him.

"My boy – my darling boy – you're home," she whispered, holding on to him like there was no tomorrow.

"I'm sorry," Tenzin said, pulling away from Katara. "I should've told you."

Katara made a tutting sound. "Sometimes, my dear, it's okay to be by yourself. It's not selfish of you to want some times alone, especially if it's for… _soul-searching_."

He took a seat on a tall chair by the counter. "Is Bumi still angry at me?"

"Oh, you know your brother – quick to anger, easy to forgive," Katara responded. "Bumi is alright – you know how well he listens to reason. Just – try not to get on his nerves too much, okay?"

"Yeah… sure," Tenzin nodded. "How's everyone else doing?"

Before Katara could reply, they were both startled by a gasp from the kitchen entrance.

"Pema…"

"Tenzin! You're back! I was so worried… where have you been? Are you okay? You should have called…" she said, running into his arms and sobbing into his robes. Katara eyed the couple warily, inattentive to the water boiling over the pot.

Tenzin gently pulled Pema away from him and looked her in the eyes. "I'm here."

"Oh, spirits – what a mess!" Katara gasped, bending away the mess upon the stove.

* * *

><p>"Mom," Lin gently patted her mother's arm, trying to wake her up. One thing people didn't know about Toph Beifong was that even though she could go long periods without sleep (she once did four straight shifts in a row), she was notoriously hard to wake when she was. Toph swatted Lin's hand away, groaned, and turned to her side. "Mom, wake up."<p>

Toph covered herself with her blanket, mumbling, "_Still too early, Lin_."

"Mom, I think I pissed myself," Lin declared loudly.

Toph shot up from bed, immediately holding out her hands to feel her daughter's stomach. "Can you breathe easier now?"

"A bit, yeah," Lin replied. "This is embarrassing."

Toph climbed out of bed. "And the contractions?"

"Aren't you gonna help me up?" Lin said, casting a questioning glance at her mother, who was already halfway to the door.

Toph placed a hand on her hip and sighed. "Come on – the contractions, Lin."

"Steady – I've been feeling them every few minutes or so – kinda painful, too," she replied, wondering what her mom was getting at. "Come on, mom – help me up."

"Stay there, I'm gonna get Kya," her mother barked, her voice sounding more like a police chief's command rather than that of a concerned mother. Lin tried to get up from bed, but her mother stopped her. "Stay there, I said."

"W-what? Mom?"

Toph groaned. "You didn't piss yourself!"

"What?"

"Your water just broke."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Two chapters again! Please bear with me if they're a bit short and if the updates are far apart. Anyway, two longer ones will be uploaded on Friday night (hopefully), so until then, I hope you guys have fun reading the chapters I just posted! :)_


	28. Chapter 28

"Lin, I want you to take deep breaths," Kya instructed her while preparing the necessary equipment for the birth. "Your water just broke – this means you'll be in labor soon. Try to relax, alright?"

Suyin, who was carrying a basinful of warm water for Kya to wash her hands in, looked worriedly over at her sister. "Is she gonna be okay?"

"Of course she'll be okay," Toph replied, clutching at Lin's arm. "Right, Kya?"

Kya assessed the equipment in front of her, all of them newly purchased and sanitized. "Usually, the first twin is fine. It's the second I'm a bit worried about."

Lin gritted her teeth as she felt another sharp contraction shoot up her spine. Catching her breath, she asked, "W-why? What's wrong with the second baby?"

"I'm actually thinking that the second baby will be born feet first," Kya responded. "So he or she's gonna be a bit… _delicate_. Breech births usually place some stress on both mother and baby – and given your situation – well."

"Is it gonna be risky?" Lin asked.

"A bit," Kya shrugged.

"Way to calm her down, Sugar Princess," Toph quipped. She sat beside her daughter, shakily stroking Lin's arm. "Anyway – have you got everything you need?"

"Perhaps more water? I'll be delivering twins, after all."

Toph metalbent the chimes nearby, summoning a servant to the room. "We need more water over here."

"Hot or cold, Madam?"

"Doesn't matter – just make sure it's clean," she snapped. "Do it quickly."

"Lin – are you feeling okay?" Suyin asked.

"Do I look okay to you?"

Suyin shrugged. "Hey – I was just asking. Kya, is it okay if she drinks more of this tea you brewed?"

"Uh-huh," Kya nodded, handing the mug over to Lin. "Bottom's up, Captain Beifong."

The warm, bittersweet liquid was a welcome relief for Lin's parched throat – in her panic, she forgot everything else she had to do, including changing her clothes (because she _honestly_ thought she had pissed herself) and relieving her thirst. It was a good thing Suyin helped her change into a proper nightdress ("Who gives birth wearing pants?" she mumbled) and her mother asked the servants to change the soaked beddings.

Kya asked Lin to scoot over a bit to Toph's side as she began placing layer upon layer of thick towels on the bed.

"What's that for?" said Su, handing her cousin another towel.

"It's for the blood," Kya replied nonchalantly.

"Will there be a lot?" Lin asked, suddenly feeling nervous. Sure, she has been wounded several times during training and stakeouts, but those wounds were superficial – they were outside, on her skin, fading away in due time – but bleeding from within? That was different. It was _scary_.

Kya patted the towels, signaling Lin to lay her body over them. She must've noticed Lin's silence, because she pinched Lin's cheeks and said with a reassuring smile, "Not enough to make you pass out, Linny."

"Hey – tough it out, will you? You're a Beifong," Toph said, hoping that she sounded encouraging to her daughter.

Suyin sat beside her mother. "I can't wait to see the kids," she said, smiling nervously.

Kya lifted Lin's nightdress, exposing her belly. She ran water over it once more and closed her eyes, trying to get a feel of the babies inside. "This is good. Expect more frequent and – er – _painful_ – contractions within the next half hour. The first baby is on its way."

* * *

><p>She was holding a bundle of fresh, neatly folded linen for Tenzin when she heard them talking.<p>

"You have to tell her soon," a gruff voice – most likely Bumi's – said.

_Tell who – what_? Pema gently slid the door open just a crack to better hear what the occupants were talking about. Peeking through the opening, she saw Tenzin and Bumi having what seemed to be a heated discussion.

"Yes, yes I will – but I need your help," Tenzin replied, his voice sounding unnaturally shaky to Pema's ears.

Bumi put his hands up in the air. "How do you expect me to help you? I don't even have an idea what your problem is!"

"You know very well what it is," Tenzin interjected. "Everyone does."

_Everyone except me_, Pema thought.

"Well – I don't know what your decision is," Bumi said dully.

Tenzin's temper seemed to flare with each passing minute. "That's why I'm telling you now!"

"Well then why don't you go ahead?" Bumi asked impatiently.

"I need you to take Mom and Dad out for dinner somewhere. I need some time with Pema," Tenzin replied, slowly regaining his calm. At the mention of her name, Pema put a hand over her mouth, praying that the brothers didn't hear her gasp.

"So – has mother told you about Lin?"

Tenzin frowned. "That's why she told me to talk you, Bumi. Mom said you can – er – _explain_ it better."

Bumi looked around the room warily, as if searching for possible eavesdroppers. He noticed the door was slightly ajar, so he started walking over to it. Pema's heart was racing so hard when she heard Bumi approaching – if she ran down the hall, everyone would be sure to hear (wooden floors can be annoying), but if she stayed outside the room, Bumi would see her and –

_Crack_.

She opened her eyes and found that Bumi had shut the door without even looking out. Pema sighed, feeling relieved she didn't get caught. Composing herself, she gracefully slid the door open.

" – the babies," a surprised Bumi looked at her as she entered the room.

She placed the sheets on Tenzin's bed and kissed his cheek. "There you go – fresh sheets for you."

Tenzin didn't return the kiss – instead he acknowledged her with a nod and a little smile. Bumi, she noticed, continued looking at them with a look that Pmea could only describe as being half-annoyance and half-amusement. She nodded curtly at him. "Bumi."

"Hey, Pema," he replied, waving a hand at her awkwardly.

"Well!" she said, trying to act like her normal, cheery self, "If you – er – need something, I'm just outside – er – just – just call me, alright?"

"Yes dear," Tenzin weakly replied.

Pema hurried out of the room, closing the door behind her. Her chest felt heavy, it was as if her heart wanted to leap out of her body. There it was again – Lin Beifong and some babies.

_Could Tenzin -?_

"No," she whispered to herself. "You're being paranoid. Tenzin won't do such a thing."

_Will he?_


	29. Chapter 29

Lin held on to her pillow, white-knuckled and struggling to breathe. She has been in labor for more than four hours now, but the twins still haven't shown signs of wanting to come out. Toph alternated between wiping sweat from Lin's brows and encouraging her to push harder; Suyin, meanwhile, has left the room, declaring that the whole affair was "too much".

Kya ran some water over Lin's abdomen, her hands glowing blue with healing energy. She was trying to feel the babies in her friend's womb – particularly, the first baby to come out. "Come on, Lin – push a bit harder. We're almost there."

"I'm trying – so – fucking _hard_, okay?" Lin retorted. "It's harder than – _AAAAARRRRGH_! Shit! Shit! Shit!"

"You're doing great, kid," Toph said. "_The floor's all wrecked_."

True enough – chunks of the marble floor have been displaced by Lin's efforts to push her baby out, strangely echoing the moment when her own mother was giving birth to her.

"Why won't you – _ARRRRGH_ – come out?!" Lin screamed. She found it frustrating – not to mention _painful_ – that despite her huge efforts, the twins didn't seem to be cooperating. Her screams echoed throughout the entire mansion, followed by a dull rumble from the earth that left the servants nervous and disoriented.

Lin wasn't the only one who found the entire thing frustrating, of course. Kya, who has delivered countless babies before, found Lin's situation extremely perplexing. One minute the baby seemed ready to come out, but it would suddenly shift. Kya understood that it would place more stress on the mother and both babies if she forced the birth even more, so she left things to run their natural course, only helping things along with her bending.

With another _growl_ from Lin – and a particularly strong rumble from the earth – Kya found herself looking at a baby's head, poking in between its mother's legs. Wiping the sweat from her forehead, Kya cried, "The baby's here! Lin - just a little more, sweetheart!"

As if energized by Kya's news, Lin continued pushing, this time with much more fervor. She felt the baby passing from her womb and out into the open, being gently guided by Kya's caring hands.

A moment of silence passed as Kya completely got the baby out from its mother's womb. Gently, she lifted the baby – still bloody from the birth – and assessed it. "It's a boy, Lin! Your eldest is a boy!" she beamed.

Lin, who was still quite dizzy from all the pushing and screaming, failed to register what Kya had just announced. She even failed to comprehend what her mother was cheering about; all she could understand – or hear, for that matter – was Toph calling Suyin, asking her to help clean the baby.

As Suyin swaddled the baby boy in silk, the baby cried – snapping Lin from her stupor.

"Mom?" Toph was no longer beside her – instead, she found herself holding a small thing bundled in jade green silk. "Is – is he…?"

"He's perfect, Lin!" Suyin smiled. "A perfect baby boy. What will you call him?"

Lin gently ran her finger on her baby's cheek, her heart overflowing with joy as she felt the warmth of her baby's skin. "Lei. His name is Lei Beifong."

Kya threw open the windows, letting the late winter air in. "Breathe for a while," she said, wiping her hands on her dress. "The other baby will be coming in a few moments."

"I can't see a thing!" Toph complained. "Who does he look like?"

Lin took her mother's hand, cupping it over her child's cheeks. "He looks like me, Mom." Toph smiled and kissed her daughter on the forehead.

"Hello, Lei!" Suyin cooed, passing a glass of cold water to her sister. "Drink up, sis."

"Ready for another round?" Kya asked, taking her seat at the foot of Lin's bed. Lin nodded weakly. "This one's gonna be easy, Lin. Don't worry."

Despite fatigue slowly overtaking her body, Lin braced herself for what she hoped was an easy delivery. She handed her son over to Suyin, who was already quite enamored at the baby. Lin held on to her mother and began taking deep breaths.

"Okay – on three, Lin – one, two, three!"

_Come on, just cooperate with Mommy – please come out, precious – Mommy wants to see you so bad_, she thought as she allowed herself to be guided by Kya's ministrations.

"You're doing great, Lin!" Kya encouraged. Suddenly, her expression changed. "What the –"

"What? _What is it_?" Toph asked, worry furrowing her brows.

Kya sighed. "It's a breech birth – just as I suspected. The baby's coming out feet first."

Lin looked at the ladies around her, confused. Toph seemed to sense what was troubling her daughter, as she placed as hand on Lin's head and gently stroked it. "It's fine, kid – you were born in that manner too – just put in a little more effort, okay?"

She nodded, trying her best not to feel afraid. _I have prayed so hard for my children to be safe. Spirits, why would you do this? Why inflict so much distress on them?_

The water on Kya's hands was glowing blue once more. "It's not budging," she whispered, her voice cracking. "If the baby doesn't get out, it might choke on the lifeline inside the womb."

"_NO_!" Lin cried. "No – Mom – _MOM_ _DO SOMETHING – ANYTHING!_"

Kya shook her head. "Stay with us, Lin – push!"

Lin's mind, at that point, was far too clouded for reason. _My baby will die, and it's my fault. Tenzin's child will die and he will never forgive me. This is my fault – all of it!_ Lei seemed to feel his mother's distress - the moment his mother started wailing, Lei cried as well, prompting Suyin to carry him out of the room.

Toph slapped her hard. "_Calm the fuck down, Beifong_! Look at me!"

"Mom! Help me!"

"_The fuck are you crying over for_?! You're an earthbender! Listen and wait, you twat," Toph spat out.

"Deep breaths, Captain," Kya soothed. "Listen to me while I count."

_Listen and wait_.

Lin closed her eyes, zoning everyone out until all she could hear was her heart and that of the baby still inside her.

_Lub-dub, lub-dub._

_Come on, sweetheart, show mommy your face._

Lin inhaled, exhaled.

Push.

_Lub-dub, lub-dub_.

_Everyone's waiting for you, precious_.

Lin inhaled, exhaled.

Push.

_Lub-dub, lub-dub._

_Mommy and Daddy love you so much_.

Lin inhaled, exhaled.

A final push, and she passed out.

* * *

><p>Pema picked up the phone. "Hello?"<p>

"Bumi! Bumi, is Tenzin there? Lin just gave birth. Tenzin's a dad!"

She didn't feel the receiver slip out of her hand – all she felt was the strange feeling of darkness suddenly descending upon her.

"Hello?! Hello?! Are you there? Hello?!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I wanted to upload Chapter 30 as well, but my computer went crazy and the file got corrupted. I have no other way of retrieving it, so i will be rewriting the entire chapter. It's gonna be a long chapter with three POV's! Next update will be on Sunday night. Enjoy!_


	30. Chapter 30

"Lian and Lei," Lin whispered, holding her little girl on one arm while her little boy was bawling his throat out on his mother's other arm.

"_Lovely little people_," Suyin said dreamily, looking at the tranquil scene before her. Her sister was beautiful, that much was true, but she was _infinitely_ beautiful now – _ethereal_, even – than ever before. Lin's eyes were filled with so much affection; her smile seemed to set the room aglow, besting even the late afternoon sun filtering through the window.

Toph gently took Lei from his mother's arms and softly rocked him. "I like this one – he's loud and strong and sturdy – a chip off the old Beifong!" she declared. "This one's gonna be an earthbender!"

"It's too early to tell, Mom," Suyin told Toph. "Besides, there's a fifty-fifty chance that the kid's gonna be an airbender – or a _non-bender_."

Lin looked at her daughter who was fast asleep in her arms. The moment Lian was born, Lin had passed out – it was Suyin who told her that the baby came out looking rather blue, and that it took all of Kya's efforts for the baby to make even the tiniest whimper. Lin gently pressed her lips to her daughter's forehead.

"Lin?"

"I'm worried about Lian, Mom," she said, wiping away a tear.

Lei's wails were finally reduced to faint gurgles as he was slowly being overtaken by sleep. "We honestly thought she wasn't going to make it – Kya said she needed more air."

_Air_.

_If your father was here he would've given you all the air you needed_, she thought. "H-have you told the folks back at Republic City?"

"I called Air Temple Island right after you gave birth, but the line got all weird," Suyin replied. "Maybe I'll send a telegram later."

"_You do no such thing!_" Toph exclaimed, looking pensive. "Not everyone knows about your sister being pregnant. What if the telegram landed into – I don't know – _curious_ hands? Anyway – when you called, who answered the phone?"

"I think it was Bumi."

"_You think_?" Toph sensed her daughter's hesitation. "You told me the line was crappy."

* * *

><p><em>Lin just gave birth. Tenzin's a dad!<em>

The words played over and over in her head, like a broken record. She had no idea how she covered the distance from the main house to the female dormitories, but Pema suddenly found herself crying in her room, her sobs muffled by the pillow she hugged to her chest.

_Tenzin knows – he knows, and he didn't tell me. Why didn't he tell me? _She racked her brain for an answer even though she knew nothing would ever come. Just a week ago she was happily preparing for her wedding – _their wedding_ – and now she's a wreck. How in the world did things take a turn for the worse so fast?

Pema didn't exactly know how to feel – of course, welcoming a child to the world was always a joyous occasion for everyone, but when that child is your fiancé's and his ex's – that was a different matter altogether. And as much as she loved Tenzin, she cannot help but feel angered at what she perceived as the ultimate betrayal of her trust.

_Have I been so blind as to ignore the obvious?_

Lin Beifong's pregnancy could actually explain _everything_. Tenzin's mood swings, late-night arguments between Tenzin and Aang – even Bumi's unusual roughness towards his brother. _Is she also the reason behind Tenzin's disappearance?_

The Beifongs, like the Avatar's family, were some sort of celebrities within Republic City (and the world, for that matter). So when Chief Toph Beifong decided to take a leave from the police, the media naturally tried to get their paws over what little information they could glean. What's more interesting was that she took Captain Lin Beifong with her to Gaoling. Lin was popular in her own right – aside from being _the_ Toph Beifong's daughter, she was an earthbender of prodigious skill, attracting attention for developing her own style of metalbending: one that flawlessly blended her mother's solid Praying Mantis Style and Avatar Aang's airbending forms. She was well-loved by those closest to her, respected by those who know her, and feared by those who ought to fear her.

Pema recalled the buzz generated by Lin Beifong's sudden vacation; for a solid week after mother and daughter left the city, respectable journals and seedy tabloids teemed with speculation and gossip about the exact reason of their indefinite leave: some wrote that Toph Beifong was sick; some said Lin was suicidal because of her recent (and widely-publicized) breakup – but none of them ever speculated on Lin Beifong being pregnant. Pema attributed it to Tenzin's uptight nature. _Maybe they thought he wasn't one to do the deed without getting married first_.

_But what if Tenzin has no idea about all of this?_ She wondered. _What if he's just nervous about the wedding_?

_Impossible_.

She could still vividly remember the first time Tenzin _really_ kissed her – it was the afternoon right after Lin Beifong's departure.

_She was bringing a tray laden with sweet buns and tea to his room. Opening the door, she found Tenzin staring wistfully at a rather unremarkable cardboard box that sat on his bed. Carefully, she laid the tray onto Tenzin's study table. "What's in the box?"_

"_Oh – nothing – just some… old stuff," he replied, his eyes still glued on the box before them._

_She ran her eyes over the box – it was big, dented in some places, and it looked as if it was about to burst. Something that looked like a toy was poking out of the lid. "Let me look over the things inside – maybe there's still something we can reuse and give to the less fortunate," she told him, motioning to lift the lid off the box._

_Suddenly, Tenzin pulled her hand and kissed her lips. He had never done this before – Tenzin was always patient and slow with her, and intimacy for them was limited to tight hugs and chaste pecks on the cheek. Although surprised, she found this kiss refreshingly sweet; it was different and exciting, and just as she was beginning to enjoy it, Tenzin pulled away, breaking the spell._

"_Tenzin…" she whispered his name breathlessly._

_He quickly picked the box up and strode to the door. "Stay there, dear – I'll just put this box in storage."_

She wiped her tear-streaked face, thinking that whatever was in the box – whatever it was that Tenzin didn't want her to see all those months ago – held all the answers she needed. Shakily, she left her room for the storage shack at the far end of the island.

* * *

><p>The phone was at it again – it filled the empty hallway with its shrill, metallic ringing that was strangely out of place with the austere atmosphere. Tenzin, who had just finished dusk meditations, warily picked it up. "Hello?"<p>

"Hello – who's this?!" Toph Beifong's voice seemed to reach out from the phone and box his ears.

"This is Tenzin."

"Is this _really_ Tenzin?"

He sighed. "Yes, Aunt Toph. This is Tenzin."

The way Toph asked him, as if she didn't already memorize his voice, was a bit disconcerting.

"Good! We've been trying to reach you for _forever_! Where have you been, Junior?" she snapped. "You're a father!"

_I'm a father._

_I'm a – WHAT?_

"Hello? W-what did you say?"

He heard Toph sigh from the other end. "Lin gave birth this afternoon. You're a dad – how many times do I have to repeat this?"

Tenzin felt his heart leap at the mention of Lin's name. "Is – is Lin alright?"

"Yeah, she's okay. She's – er – _recovering_. Giving birth is tough business," Toph casually replied. "She gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl."

"Really? _THAT'S GREAT! _How are they doing? What did she name them?" he asked, unable to contain his excitement any longer. Whatever fatigue he felt during the day was certainly wiped out by the joyful news.

"Whoa – take it easy down there, kid," Toph chuckled. "The boy's called Lei, and the girl's called Lian. Suyin and Kya said they look like Lin, thank goodness! Lei's very healthy, too – he's loud and sturdy – I've got a feeling he's an earthbender."

_Thunder and Lotus_, Tenzin smiled as he thought of the babies' names over and over. "How about Lian?"

Toph cleared her throat. "Well… we thought she was gonna _die_," she let the last word hang between them for a while. Tenzin went rigid. "It was a good thing that Kya's with us – otherwise the child could've just… _wasted away_. It was a difficult birth too – my daughter passed out when the baby came."

He couldn't believe what he just heard – Lin Beifong, the woman who wouldn't even cringe at the sight of blood, passed out during childbirth. _I guess it's true what they say about women and childbirth_, he pondered, _one foot's already in the grave_. "But the baby – _Lian_, I mean – is she doing well now?"

"Kya's still observing her," Toph replied. "Suyin told me that when Lian came out, she looked rather… _blue_. I have no idea what that means, obviously – but Kya said it's got something to do with weak lungs and – er – _air_."

Tenzin scowled. _I would bend all the air in the world for you if I could_.

"Er – yeah. I gotta go, Junior. Send my regards to your Mom and Dad. Bye."

"Send Lin my – my _congratulations_," he meant to say _love_, but thought it wouldn't sit well with Lin's mother. "Bye."

Tenzin gently put the receiver down. Unlike Bumi and Kya who have travelled all over the world, Tenzin was more of a homebody. It was only now that he felt such an overpowering desire to be somewhere else – never before had he wanted to see Lin, to hold her hand and tell her everything will be alright. Most of all he wanted to hold Lei and Lian, to let them know how much he loved them both.

But there are still things to do, and messes to clean up.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _I actually think this chapter's better after the rewrite! The next one's gonna be uploaded on Tuesday. If you guys have noticed, I gradually introduced Pema chapters in this fic because I don't want it to be too LinZin-centric. I thought giving Pema POV's would put a nice perspective to the whole story. _

_Also, I uploaded a new fic, it's entitled "Day Off" - some of you may have already read it - written as a treat to you guys for helping my fic reach 10k views! Hooray! Thank you so much! :D_


	31. Chapter 31

She flicked on the sole light in the storage room, shuddering as the boxes and the many knick-knacks cast weird shadows on the dusty walls. Eyes watering because of the dust she disturbed, Pema scanned the room.

It wasn't hard to find the box she was looking for – it lay just a few feet from the entrance, on top of an old chest with fire nation motifs. From the way the dust barely settled on it, Pema guessed that it had been visited – or at least rummaged through – frequently. She placed her hand on the lid, gently wiping away what little dust had accumulated on it. Under the dim light, she read Tenzin's name in neat, evenly-spaced block letters.

_This can't be Tenzin's writing_, she thought. Tenzin's penmanship was easily recognizable by light, fluid strokes which resembled calligraphy. Lifting the lid off, she found herself face to face with an assortment of picture frames and albums, journals, sketchpads and old books, all neatly arranged by size inside the box, the spines facing her. As the box was quite large, she found there was still enough space in it to accommodate a smaller wooden box, which Pema carefully lifted out.

It was a plain wooden box, she discovered – the kind that came with jewelry purchased in stores. Its age could plainly be seen in its rusty and squeaky hinges. Pema unlatched it, gasping in amazement when she found what was inside.

_A betrothal necklace_.

Pema ran her fingers across the rich black velvet ribbon, finally settling on the pale green jade pendant. She traced the design, that of a winged boar placed side by side with the Air Nomad insignia – it was, obviously, intended for Lin Beifong to wear. Pema could imagine Tenzin's slender hands working the surface of the stone carving it to produce the incredible detailing of the pendant she now holds. Tenzin actually _worked hard_ for the necklace. It felt strange – she gently replaced the necklace in the box and absentmindedly fiddled with the simple silver band on her left ring finger.

She pulled a random album from the box. it was a nondescript, leather-bound book, worn at the edges and smelling musty. She flipped it open and saw teenaged Tenzin (who still, amusingly, had hair) looking back at her with a smile on his face. Further on in the album, he was joined by younger versions of Bumi and Kya, as well as Katara and Aang. Pema smiled at the moments captured on film and put the album back from where she took it.

She pulled out another book from the box – this time a journal. A few loose leaves fell from it as Pema browsed through the pages. She picked up the loose sheets from her lap: they were a mix of photos and short note, some written in Tenzin's script, other in neat, block letters similar to the ones on the box's lid.

A photo of Lin Beifong caught her eye. Even through the faded photograph, pema could see how beautiful Lin was (and still is) – she was grinning at the camera, her white skin further set aglow by the flimsy material of the summer dress she was wearing. Lin's wavy hair came down in gorgeous cascades upon her shoulders and back while she was holding on to a wide-brimmed straw hat. Pema flipped the photo over; written behind it, in block letters, was:

_Hey T!_

_Ember Island is fantastic. Wish you were here._

_Love you!_

_Lin_

The next thing Pema found was what seemed to be a hand-tinted postcard depicting the Southern Water Tribe's Spirit Lights Festival. Closer inspection revealed Tenzin and Lin, wrapped up in furs, standing in front of the festival arch and holding hands. A quick scribble at the back said:

_Uncle Sokka and Aunt Toph,_

_They're official!_

_Kya_

The next photo she found was of Sokka and the Beifong girls – Toph, Lin and Suyin – dressed for what could have been an evening gala. Pema hasn't seen Sokka – all she knew of him wast that he was Katara's brother, a former councilman, Toph Beifong's husband, and Suyin's father. He had a proud, happy look in the photo, while Toph Beifong, blind as she was, seemed to be looking far beyond the camera. Suyin, who looked to be no more than ten years old in the photo, was smiling cheekily at the camera. Lin would have been fifteen or sixteen when the portrait was captured; she was looking at the camera with a mischievous glint in her eyes and a knowing smile.

The Beifong family portrait was followed by that of Tenzin's family – this was more relaxed, as the family appeared to be at home and just took the photo for fun. It showed Aang and Katara standing together at one side, looking as if they had just come from crying. Kya was standing near them, wearing her hair in loops, like her mother's. Tenzin was bald, but he didn't have his tattoos as yet – perhaps this was taken before he went on his tour of the Air Temples with his father. At the center of the photo was Bumi, looking resplendent in his United Forces uniform, at the bottom of the photo was a caption written in metallic ink: _Bumi's send-off_.

Pema thumbed through the other photographs, almost all of them pictures of Lin and Tenzin, either alone or together. Most of them looked like stolen snapshots, revealing the couple's more intimate moments. In one picture, Lin was trying on the new metalbending uniform; another picture showed Tenzin getting tattooed by his own father; still another pictured showed Lin, who seemed to be holding the camera at arm's length, being kissed on the cheek by Tenzin.

Pema felt tears slowly falling from her eyes again. She wanted to destroy the box – perhaps burn everything – but she can't bear to see _years_ of memories, of moments and smiles, destroyed just because she was jealous. Instead, she willed herself to go on and try to understand where Tenzin (and Lin) was coming from.

She carefully inspected the other contents of the box. She came across tons of pictures – in albums or in between pages of journals; she found pressed flowers, even candy wrappers (no doubt souvenirs from when Lin and Tenzin were still teenagers); a lock of Tenzin's hair, carefully coiled and encased in a glass pendant; numerous sketches – mostly of Lin; a few family portraits –

And a _letter_.

A quick look revealed that the letter was written in Lin's hand, and compared to the other mementos in the box it looked fairly new, perhaps only a few months old. It appears as though it hasn't been read – the paper was in pristine condition, neatly folded and without any signs of crumpling or staining. Pema braced herself for the tide of emotions that would surely wash over her. Sighing, she began reading it.

* * *

><p>Tenzin bent a huge gust of wind, setting the air gates spinning. He stepped onto the platform and started meandering through the spinning boards, quick and light on his feet.<p>

_You're a father!_

He smiled and took a step forward.

_She gave birth to twins. A boy and a girl._

_Whoosh_. Tenzin neatly dodged the wood, deftly twisting his body around.

_Lei's very healthy, too – he's loud and sturdy – I've got a feeling he's an earthbender._

Another turn, and he nearly smacked his face onto one of the gates. He shook his head and pressed on.

_We thought she was gonna die… my daughter passed out when the baby came._

One of the gates smashed against his right shoulder, throwing him off balance and propelling him forward. Tenzin grimaced as he felt his nose hit the wood. Like some sort of chain reaction, he collided again and again with the twisting air gates until he landed face-first on the dirt.

"Well that's certainly a first," Bumi had been watching him all along – he was smirking as he held out his hand to Tenzin.

"Bumi!"

He bowed at Tenzin mockingly. "The one and only. Mom and Dad are ready – I booked a table at Kwong's cuisine for the three of us. You sure you don't want to come tonight?"

Tenzin shook his head, rising. "I got good news."

"Really?"

"Lin gave birth today," he grinned. "Twins – a boy and a girl!"

"Wha -?! That's _awesome_! That's _GREAT_! We have to tell everyone!" Bumi exclaimed, turning his back from Tenzin.

Tenzin pulled his brother's shirt. "Keep quiet! Tell Mom and Dad – no one else!"

"Hey – I know, alright?" Bumi said, smoothing out his shirt. He then glanced at his wristwatch. "Time check, buddy – it's seven-thirty. We'll be out 'til ten. Is that enough time?"

"I think so," Tenzin muttered.

Bumi patted his shoulder, giving him one last reassuring squeeze. "Hit the nail on the head, Ten-ten."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _An update, as promised! I'm uploading from my mobile phone, so I apologize for all the formatting and spelling errors (if there are some). Next update will be on Saturday night - I think you guys can see where this chapter might lead. :)_


	32. Chapter 32

If Tenzin ever loved her, Pema was grateful for it. All she knew now was that no matter how much she loved him, if Tenzin cannot love her just as much, then everything was a sham. Even if they get married and have kids of their own, they would never be truly happy.

She tore open her closet, harshly pulling at the wedding dress she worked so hard on. Even under the dim lamplight, it was beautiful – the white fabric perfectly showed off the brilliant reds, golds and vermilions of the embroidery.

After her little trip to the storage room, it was clear as day to her that no matter what she does, she cannot replace Lin in Tenzin's heart. She ran her hands over the fabric, thinking that her whirlwind romance with Tenzin was no match compared to what he and Lin used to – _still _ – have. Hers was rushed, done out of impulse; Lin and Tenzin's romance was like fine wine - growing stronger and ever so sweet through the years.

She silently cursed herself for thinking she could ever parallel that.

* * *

><p>Tenzin walked Bumi and his parents to the dock, where a ferry was waiting. Aang and Katara were positively beaming with excitement – no doubt Bumi had told them of the news – and they insisted on going to Gaoling as soon as they could.<p>

"Have a great night," he said, kissing his mother goodbye.

The trio waved back at him as they walked up the gangplank. "Don't wait up!" Bumi called.

Tenzin nodded and stood there, quietly watching as the ferry faded into the distance. He took a deep breath and turned back towards the compound, his feet taking him to the female dormitories.

* * *

><p>A pair of scissors glinted dully under the dim light. Pema, eyes misted over with tears, grabbed them and began snipping through the fabric of her dress.<p>

_Snip._

_Snip._

_Snip._

The soft, snipping sounds that the scissors made were oddly satisfying to her ears – before she knew it, her tears have dried and the dress she worked so hard to embroider lay before her as an unsightly tangle of silken threads and shreds of fabric. She pressed on, not even looking up to see who opened the door.

"Pema? Pema – _spirits_! What's going on in here?!" Tenzin rushed to her side, trying to yank the scissors away.

Pema held fast, refusing to give him the upper hand. "Leave me alone, _Master Tenzin_."

Tenzin looked at the sorry sight in front of him: Pema's wedding dress, her pride and joy, was in tatters - tangled threads which used to be cranes and flowers hung limply all across the hem. Pema herself looked quite distressed, and Tenzin could see that her eyes were red from crying. It didn't take a lot for him to realize that even with all the caution he exercised, Pema knew.

"Give me the scissors, Pema."

Pema didn't heed him; she just continued alternately cutting and _ripping_ through the dress. With a quick, sweeping motion, Tenzin seized the scissors by the handle, trying to wrestle them away from Pema. She fought him, trying to pull the scissors back even as her hands were beginning to slip.

A piercing scream echoed throughout the dormitory.

Pema sat there with an ugly gash on her palm; blood was dripping down her hand and onto the already ruined dress. A bloody pair of scissors lay in Tenzin's hand.

"_Oh no… M-my hand – I – help me_!" she screamed, her eyes pleading for Tenzin to do something.

Tenzin acted quickly – he swept Pema off the floor and into his arms before her screams attracted the attention of the other acolytes – it was good thing they were still at the dining hall. He snatched shreds of the dress, wrapping them around Pema's hand and carefully applying pressure to minimize the flow of blood. Still holding the shaken woman, they swiftly made their way through the hallways and into Katara's healing room.

* * *

><p>Lin wound the key to the sky bison mobile, feeling relaxed as it whirred to life. She double-checked each of her babies – sleeping side by side in the crib – to see if they were doing okay. Kya instructed her to keep an eye on Lian, particularly because the little girl was born quite frail.<p>

Efficient as ever, Toph Beifong started the preparations for what was promising to be the _biggest_ announcement of the newest Beifong heirs ever. The twins were only a few hours old, but it seemed to Lin as though they were being thrust _too quickly _into the limelight. Although Toph herself flouted tradition by choosing to give birth in Republic City and ignoring all formalities that befitted heiresses of her class, Lin discovered, much to her chagrin, that her mother was determined to follow tradition down to every last letter.

And by tradition, it meant that Lin was _absolutely_ not allowed to step foot outside until her twins are a month old – which seemed to be a great idea to her at first, as she was feeling so sore after the birth, but she now realized how horribly inconvenient it can be. Following tradition would mean she had to remain on hiatus for a longer time, and she doubted it would do her career any good. _At least I get to spend more time with the kids,_ she shrugged.

Her dinner lay before her – it was a big meal consisting of rice, a big bowl of clear broth, grilled mackerel, lean cuts of beef, and chicken liver. These foods, Kya explained, were meant to restore her energy and balance out her chi, helping her recover faster. Even though she hated chicken liver – something about the weird, bitter taste disgusted her – she ate as heartily as if it was her favorite. She actually requested sausages and pan-fried noodles, which Toph would have gladly given, if not for Kya's advice. Apparently she now has to avoid, for the time being, extremely fatty, salty and _spicy_ food – which means she won't get to eat her favorites.

Suyin entered the room, already wearing her nightclothes and clutching a pillow. "Mom says I have to help you keep watch over the twins," she said. Lin just nodded and continued eating while her sister made a beeline for the crib to look at her nephew and niece. "Oh, aren't you the cutest? You're so precious!"

Lin smiled at her sister. For almost half their lives, the Beifong sisters lived in constant animosity between each other. Lin thought Suyin was a horrible person because she hung out with delinquents and many other – _colorful_ – personalities in Republic City, while Suyin thought of her sister as a stuck-up, prudish know-it-all who cared more about her public image than her own family. When Lin saw how Suyin set aside their differences and offered a helping hand when she learned of Lin's unexpected pregnancy, she felt ashamed.

Suyin is _amazing_ – how could Lin have missed that? Quietly, she put her chopsticks down. "Hey Su?"

Suyin looked up. "Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"For what?"

"For being here," Lin replied.

Suyin went over to her."We're sisters, Lin. That's what sisters do. You may be cranky and impossible most of the time, but – yeah, I love you. I know I've put Mom and you through a lot of trouble because I wanted to be _cool_, and believe me, I am so sorry for that. I was being stupid back then. When Mom finally sent me here, I realized how important both of you guys are to me. I guess the – er – _isolation _made me think of all my misgivings. It helped me change."

"That's… _great_," Lin muttered. "Honestly I have no idea what to do if it weren't for Mom and you – and Kya, of course. I never thought we'd be like peas and carrots again. It's like a dream."

Suyin embraced her. "_LIN_!"

She tried to squirm out of her sister's arms. "Yeah – er – you can let me go now."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **_Hi guys! I decided to update early (as opposed to my Saturday Night plan) because I'll be out on the field tomorrow for training. Anyway, I've been receiving lots of feedback from all of you, and I'm really happy that you guys actually like my story! All of your reviews inspire me and I could never thank you guys enough. As a treat, I'll upload Chapter 33 tomorrow night, right after I come home from training! :)_

_A few notes on Lin's POV here: in Chinese tradition, mothers who had just given birth are generally not allowed to walk outside the house so that they may regain their energy - and yes, this includes a specific diet, too. A "full moon" celebration, done when the baby turns a month old, marks the end of the mother's "confinement" - this is also generally the time when the child is introduced to everyone (yes, even the ancestors) else. I'll be exploring this tradition in the next chapters. _


	33. Chapter 33

Pema bit her lip, wincing as Tenzin gently dabbed some healing salve on her wound. He acted with so much presence of mind that all Pema could do was follow him as quickly and as quietly as she could, trying to avoid the stare of his stormy grey eyes.

"It might need some stitches," he voice out, cutting a length of gauze for her wound. "But that's just me, of course. With the proper first aid, I'm sure Mother could fix this. You'll probably end up with a faint scar, though."

She just listened to him, not even whimpering when Tenzin began winding the bandage tightly around her hand. Now that her mind was clear, she realized that she had acted shamefully back there – her mind was too clouded with mingled jealousy and sorrow that she had acted out of impulse. Tenzin finally finished dressing her wound; he rose to return the pot of healing salve in the cupboard.

"We… we can't go on like this," Pema finally said, her voice quivering. _Don't cry._

Tenzin almost dropped the pot – he was quite surprised that Pema would be the one to initiate the talk. He cleared his throat. "W-what are you saying?"

Pema twirled the silver ring on her left ring finger with her thumb, wondering why it suddenly seemed too big. "I know, Tenzin. I answered the phone today. Lin has given birth to your child."

Tenzin knew there was no use denying – the truth was already out in the open. "Indeed she has."

"She was pregnant with your child, that's why she left, didn't she?"

He nodded, quickly adding: "_Children._ Lin – she had twins."

_Twins? _Pema was put off by the news, but she pressed on. "Did you know all along?"

Tenzin took a seat in front of her, looking down at the table. "No. She wanted to keep it a secret from me. She wanted to raise the children on her own as her mother raised her. Lin… Lin _tried_ to keep everything to herself because she thought I was already happy with you."

Pema did her best to fight back tears. "And were you happy with me, Tenzin?"

"I – I…"

Her big brown eye met his, pleading. "_Were you_?"

Tenzin sighed. "I was."

Pema couldn't help it anymore – her tears came running down her cheeks. _I was_. Does that mean he wasn't happy anymore? Slowly, she took out a piece of paper that she tucked in her robes, shakily passing it to Tenzin. "I – I'm sorry if – if I looked in t-the box… I – I found t-this… I think y-you haven't read it y-yet…"

Tenzin recognized the paper – it came from Lin's collection of monogrammed stationery. He slowly opened it and found it was a letter, dated right after her broke up with her.

_Dearest Tenzin,_

_There has been a lot of talk lately about you growing fond of another young woman. I am not much for gossip, as you well know, and for so long I have dismissed them as nothing more than empty tales from idle minds, but I can't take this anymore._

_We have been through so much, beloved; I know I am not the best girlfriend – I am moody, I am rough and unexpressive, and I know I've been spending too much time at work. I hoped last night's altercation was nothing more than a bad dream, but when I woke up without you by my side I knew I was wrong. I want you to be honest with me, dearest._

_Don't you love me anymore?_

_Just say it and I will let you go, even if it's going to kill me. I want it to come from your own mouth, in your own words._

_I know you're tired. I can feel you trying to carry our weight and keep this relationship up for the sake of our families. I can also see our love dying right in front of me – and I guess you were right – it might be better for use to stop this charade, so that we might not end up hurting each other more than we already did._

_If ever you decide to truly part ways with me, know that I shall treasure every memory we made for as long as I live, and that you will always have a special place in my heart. I love you._

_I will always be yours._

_Lin_

Pema watched as Tenzin read and re-read the letter, his grey eyes already reflecting the storm that took months to build up inside his head.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hi, Tenzin," Lin kissed his lips, as usual, when he opened the door to their shared apartment. Tenzin half-heartedly returned the kiss and let her pass through.<em>

_It was well past midnight, and any self-respecting woman wouldn't want to be outside where Triads and thugs abound – but Lin wasn't just any woman: she was a police officer, captain to the Metalbending Division and she was responsible for keeping the city safe, which meant late nights at work and, oftentimes, waking up during the wee hours to attend to some emergency. He watched as Lin took her armor off and stripped down to just her tank top and black, fitted breeches. She lay on the couch and stretched, cat-like, for a few seconds. "Have you eaten?"_

_Tenzin nodded, returning to his book. "Dinner's on the table – reheat it if you want."_

_She just shrugged and quietly padded to the kitchen._

_When Tenzin decided to move in with Lin, dinner was always an intimate affair between them – Lin tried to cook meals despite her busy schedule and rarely went for takeout – but ever since being promoted to the rank of Captain three years ago, dinner for both of them meant sitting alone at the table and eating twice-heated dumplings from a café nearby. Putting his book down, he followed Lin to the kitchen. _

_She was stuffing her mouth with garlic-spiced sausages, her favorites, when he sat down in front of her. Beside her rice bowl was a bottle of mijiu and a shot glass. Lin wasn't a heavy drinker – she drank only to calm her nerves and ease herself into sleep, but Tenzin frowned upon her consumption of alcohol nonetheless. In his opinion, it was unbecoming of a woman to drink beverages clearly meant for men. "I've got something to tell you."_

"_Hmm?"_

_He drummed his fingers nervously against the table. Lin continued eating her late dinner with gusto. "Lin, I – I – what if I don't like this anymore?"_

"_Like what?" she asked, not even looking up._

"_This – _us_. What if we're not growing together anymore? What if we could be happier apart but we're just holding ourselves back?"_

_Lin set her chopsticks down wordlessly._

"_I don't want to live like this anymore," Tenzin continued. "I don't want to come home to an empty house; I don't want to stay up all night wondering whether you are coming home or not – if you ever manage to make it home in one piece."_

_She stared at him defiantly. "What are you getting on about?"_

"_I don't even know if what I'm about to do is right – what I know is that this has to end."_

"_Do you still love me?" She asked, her voice finally cracking. "Have I done something wrong?"_

"_Not everything is about you, Lin."_

"_Then why are you doing this?"_

_Her brilliant green eyes looked at him desperately, but Tenzin did his best to avoid them. "_This is what I want_."_

_He heard her curse. "_How about us?_"_

"_There's no more _us_, Lin. There hasn't been an _us_ for a long time," he replied._

_She rose from her seat and ran her hands through her short hair – it was something she only did when agitated or upset. "That's it? _Thirteen years_ and that's it? You're gonna throw all of this away?"_

_There was a whole deal of profanity from her, but Tenzin held firm._

"_Aren't you going to give me a chance to fix things?"_

"_I gave you thirteen years of my life, Lin. It's about time you give _me_ what I want," he told her._

"_B-but you a-are asking t-too m-m-much. You are asking me to… _to let you go_," she slumped over the kitchen sink, her shoulders shaken by sobs._

_Tenzin stood up and approached her, reaching out to put a hand on her shoulder. Lin swatted it away. "Lin. We both need this."_

"_I need you."_

* * *

><p>Pema wiped her tears and tried to put on a happy face for Tenzin. "What was Lin like?"<p>

Tenzin quickly realized how futile it was for him to lie, now that Pema already knew so much. "She was my dream. She helped me become who I am now. She is my rock, the person who kept me grounded through all of the recognition I've been getting. And being with her – waking up everyday beside her – is like breathing to me. And even until now, I spend every waking moment thinking about her and what we could've been."

Somehow, it hurt her less to hear Tenzin saying such things – Pema valued honesty above all. Despite her gloomy mood, she managed to smile a little. "I am a woman, Tenzin. I know things. I _feel_ things. Sometimes when you're talking to me, it's as if you don't see me at all – like your mind is somewhere else. When you hear her name, even in passing, I could see how your face lights up. You may not tell me, but I know," she placed her good hand on her chest, right above her beating heart. "_This_ knows."

"I love you, Tenzin- and I could tell you every day. I know you are hurt, and I wish I could take it all away, but I can't. There's this part of you that you keep closed off from me. I can't heal you because you won't let me. Just tell me the truth, Tenzin."

"Pema…"

She cleared her throat and said, even more clearly, "Tenzin, there's no easy way to do this. Just tell me the truth. _Please_. Do you love me?"

He reached out to her and put a hand on her chin, tilting her face up so that they may see eye to eye. "Pema, you know I love you."

Tears sprung anew from Pema's beautiful brown eyes. "Do you still love her?"

Tenzin let go. "I can't bear to see you hurt."

Pema gently placed her palm over Tenzin's eyes, closing them. "So you won't see me hurting."

"I'm so sorry."

Pema cried quietly. "Do you want to end this?"

"Can you ever forgive me?"

It was all that she needed to hear. She slowly removed her ring, placed it in front of Tenzin, and left the room.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

_Five Things:_

_1. This was the hardest chapter to write because of memories. :shudders:_

_2. I thought writing the end of Pema and Tenzin's relationship parallel to that of Lin and Tenzin's breakup would be awesome._

_3. All the lines made my heart hurt. :(_

_4. pandamochi123 has been asking about the letter, here it is!_

_5. Next update will most likely be on Tuesday - you guys will be seeing more of the twins!_


	34. Chapter 34

"Hey sis, check this out," Suyin said, tossing a newspaper to Lin. It was one of those dreadful tabloids that sold for less than a yuan apiece – one cannot expect news of any veracity or quality from such publications, as Lin learned. "Saw it while I was walking back from town – thought you might wanna see it."

Kya, who was subjecting the week-old Lian through another of her spirit healing sessions, looked up. "So – which celebrity dumped which celebrity this time?"

Lin was gently patting Lei's back to help him burp. "Really, Su – aren't we too old for teenage girl gossip?" With some difficulty, Lin unfolded the paper and saw, much to her surprise, a picture of Tenzin and Pema printed all over the front page.

Toph sensed the quick change in her elder daughter's heart rate, and she gently took her grandson away from his mother. "What's it say?" she asked, continuing to pat Lei's back.

"_Air Nomad Power Couple Call It Quits_," Lin read breathlessly.

The ghostly blue glow from Kya's hand vanished, replaced by Lian wheezing cries. Suyin hurried to pick her niece up. "I told you so," she said to her sister.

"Bullshit, that's what it is," Toph said. "Everyone knows that the wedding's in two weeks. Must be some publicity prank by those unscrupulous tabloids."

Lin opened the paper to the page written beside the headline. "I think we'd be the first to know if – if they break up, right? We're family – sort of. And besides, Kya's here, so I'm sure they'll let her know," she mumbled, looking visibly shaken.

"Yeah," Kya agreed. "Read it out loud, Lin."

She cleared her throat.

_Air Nomad Power Couple Call It Quits_

_Airbending Master Tenzin, who until about a year ago was one of Republic City's most eligible bachelors, is back in the game. In a social gathering sponsored by Future Industries, the dashing thirty-year old airbender let slip that he and his fiancée, the demure Air Acolyte Pema have called it quits._

_The shocking announcement came after Tenzin gave a speech, in behalf of the City Council, thanking Future Industries Owner Hiroshi Sato for his continued support in the Council's efforts to modernize and expand Republic City. When asked about his wedding (which was supposed to take place in two weeks), Master Tenzin simply replied that he and Pema have 'come to an understanding and decided to part ways'._

_It could be recalled that, earlier this year, Master Tenzin also ended things with the spitfire bombshell Lin Beifong – Toph Beifong's daughter and metalbending prodigy - after thirteen years of being partners. Their highly-publicized breakup was soon followed by an announcement of Tenzin and Pema's engagement and the Beifong ladies' departure for their ancestral seat of Gaoling._

_Attempts to contact Pema have failed, and it is rumored that she left the city to continue being an acolyte at either the Eastern or the Western Air Temples. Similarly, the Avatar's family declined all requests for them to comment on the issue._

"Well – that was… _quick_," Kya said, turning to Suyin and Lian.

"SPITFIRE BOMBSHELL!" Toph guffawed. "What the actual fuck?!"

Suyin handed her niece back to Kya. "What are you gonna do, Lin?"

Lin ran her eyes all over the page, hoping to see an article related to the one she just read. To her disappointment, all she saw was the standard rumor-mongering fare which publications of this sort ran on a daily basis. "What do you want me to do, go back to the City and get back with him like nothing happened?"

"I should probably call home – I mean, I call Mom and Dad every other day, but they didn't mention anything of this sort happening."

"I'm with you on that, Sugar Princess," Toph agreed. "In any case, that means Katara and Aang are free to come to our celebration."

"Celebration? Am I missing something here, Mom?" Lin asked. Being a new mother (and in confinement, too), she had been too busy grappling with her new-found responsibilities to notice whatever preparations her mother was making – although she knew that it was for the formal announcement of the twins' birth, Lin had no idea of the extent of the celebrations; Kya and Suyin were of no help, of course – like Toph, both ladies were busy with numerous trifles such as sending out invites and food tasting (Lin had no idea you could do such a thing prior to a celebration). Both ladies kept mum on their efforts, as they knew that Lin, being as low-key as she is, would probably object to all the attention being lavished on the twins.

"Oh come on, kid – don't pretend you don't know about the _full moon_ celebration," Toph uttered. "Every respectable Earth Kingdom family does _that_."

"Why can't we have something like Su's?" Lin retorted, recalling, albeit vaguely, her younger sister's full moon celebration way back when Su was a baby and Lin was six – or seven, she really can't recall. It was a small gathering – just her, her mom and Uncle Sokka, and Uncle Aang's family. "Besides, Mom, I thought you don't care that much for tradition."

Toph held out Lei. "Look at this kid! Look. At. Him."

Lin could see what her Mother can "see" in her baby boy. Lei unlike his frail twin sister, was the "bouncing baby boy" so often seen in print advertisements back in the city. He's a big baby, rosy-cheeked and chubby. Even at a young age, everyone agreed that he inherited the aristocratic Beifong looks – high cheekbones, well-shaped mouth, and the bright green eyes, all reminiscent of a young Lin Beifong. Toph doted on both grandchildren, but Lin found her mother cuddling Lei more often, laughing loudly when the baby let out one of his resounding wails. Gently, she lifted Lei from Toph's arms and placed him in the crib.

"He's gonna be _the Beifong_, I tell you," Toph continued, "and his sister, too. They're gonna be the _best Beifongs ever_ – so they should be introduced to everyone with a _bang_."

"Won't that be too much? I mean, you guys have been sending invites all over – I don't know, _The Earth Kingdom_, maybe?" she smiled.

Toph rose from her seat. "Don't worry _spitfire bombshell_ – I sent invites to Republic City as well. If we're in luck, their dad's coming."

* * *

><p>"Hey Ten-ten, you got mail," Bumi handed a bunch of envelopes to his brother.<p>

Although he was relieved that things ended amicably for Pema and him, Tenzin admittedly missed the young woman. It has been a week since Pema personally approached both Aang and Katara, apologizing (which was unnecessary, Tenzin thought) for all the inconvenience their split might have caused, as well as personally thanking both of them for all their kindness towards her. Katara was in tears when Pema asked to be transferred to the Eastern Air Temple – she had grown so fond for the young woman and was wont to ask her to stay – but eventually she relented when Pema calmly pointed out that staying in Air Temple Island would not be healthy for her and Tenzin.

He blindly shuffled through the envelopes, almost all of which were addressed to his father, until his attention was piqued by a rather large, jade green envelope. He flipped it over and saw, printed in silver metallic ink, that it was addressed to his family. Tenzin pulled it out of the stash and showed it to Bumi. "Where's this from?"

"No idea," Bumi shrugged, eyeing the envelope curiously. "But since it's addressed to '_Avatar Aang and Family_', I guess it's pretty safe for us to open it. Whatcha say?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Tenzin carefully peeled off the adhesive flap and got the content of the envelope out. Inside was a cream-colored card, with an awfully familiar design rendered in green and gold at the front.

"It's from the Beifongs," Bumi uttered in amazement.

The card was lightly perfumed, Tenzin found out, and it smelled lightly of jasmine and sandalwood, like Lin's apartment. He opened it to reveal an announcement, written in gold ink.

_The Noble Ladies_

_Toph Beifong & Lin Beifong_

_Are requesting your presence for the_

_Full Moon Celebration_

_Of Twins_

_Lei and Lian Beifong_

_To be held at the Beifong Ancestral Mansion_

_On the second day of the Spring Festival_

Bumi reread the announcement. "Oh, so they're called Lei and Lian! How nice. I wonder who they look like." Turning to Tenzin, he asked, "Full Moon? You mean the one that Aunt Toph held for Suyin all those years ago? Something like that?"

"I think so," Tenzin replied. "You think we should come?"

"Do you even need to ask? _Of course_ we should come. You're the dad, I'm the uncle – how else do you think they could celebrate without us?"

"Easy for you to say – Lin's not mad at you. What if she won't have me?" he asked.

"You're stupid," Bumi declared, wrenching the invitation away from his brother. "Gimme the envelope."

Tenzin wordlessly handed it to Bumi, who tried to replace the card back inside. After a few failed attempts, Bumi pried it open and found a photograph, about the same size as the card, still inside the envelope. "Whoa, what's up with Beifong's hair?"

"Hey – what's that?"

Bumi passed the photo to his brother. "It's Captain Beifong and the kids."

Tenzin stared at the photo in mingled happiness and disbelief. It was indeed Lin in the picture – she was in bed; her hair, which she let grow during her stay in Gaoling, was a bit unruly. She looked tired, but she was beaming at the camera with the same, mischievous glint in her eyes that Tenzin has grown so accustomed to. Lin was holding a baby in her arms, while Suyin, her sister, was holding another one in her own. "They… look like her."

"They sure do," his brother agreed. "Wait 'til the old folks see that. They're gonna have a jolly good time!"

All Tenzin could do was smile and wipe his eyes.

Bumi patted his back. "Hey – Lin _will_ have you. I just know."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:**

_I hoped you guys liked this chapter, considering that it's really light as opposed to the one preceding it. I'll be gradually moving the action back to Gaoling, at the Beifongs, and I'm pretty sure you guys could guess the flow of the story by now. Sad to say, I think we've only got a few more chapters to go, BUT I'm also happy to announce that I'll soon be uploading some one-shots set in the same universe as this fic! :)_

_Regarding updates, I don't think I'll be posting one within this week because it's gonna be the Lunar New Year and for families like mine, it's kind of a big celebration. Anyhow, I'll try to post an update on Sunday night (yes, I know it's a long way off, sorry)._


	35. Chapter 35

_The moon is bright, the wind is quiet,_

_The tree leaves hang over the window,_

_My little baby, go to sleep quickly,_

_Sleep, dreaming sweet dreams._

She slowly rocked the twins' cradles using her metalbending, all while an old northeastern Earth Kingdom lullaby. Like her children who we by now asleep in the cradles, Lin found herself slowly drifting off to sleep.

_The moon is bright, the wind is quiet,_

_The cradle moving softly,_

_My little ones, close your eyes,_

_Sleep, sleep, dreaming sweet dreams._

Back in the city, Lin Beifong was notorious for pulling in multiple shifts (in addition to overtime) with less than four hours of sleep in between; here in Gaoling, however, Lin discovered that she tended to go to bed earlier. Whether it was the laid-back, peaceful atmosphere or just the lack of things to do, she had no idea.

She closed her eyes for a moment, resting her head on the pillow. Being a mother was indeed a tough job, she learned – but being a mother to _twins_ was even more challenging. Like a rookie cop, Lin grappled with the responsibilities of being a mom with some difficulty, and more often than not she would run to Toph for help, which the latter would gladly give – but not before chiding Lin about her "excellent" mothering skills.

"_Mom, why is my baby crying?" Lin cried, exasperated that she can't silence Lian. The child was red from crying and Lin had no idea why._

"_Which one?"_

_Lin grunted in dismay. "Lian. I can't seem to make her stop!"_

"_Babies cry for a lot of reasons, honey," Toph replied as if it was nothing to her. she just continued slurping her tea._

"_There, there, honey – please stop – oh no – Mooooom! She's still at it!"_

"_Have you checked her nappy?" Toph asked. "Maybe she made a pooped."_

_Lin shook her head. "I just changed her nappy, and Lei's too," she replied._

"_Maybe she's hungry."_

_Lin stroked Lian's hair. The baby looked furious – sweat was dotting her forehead and her poor mother was quite lost. "But – I – I just fed her!"_

_Toph snatched the baby away and placed Lian on her shoulder. She gently patted the child'd back – something that seemed to soothe her so much that she let out a little burp and finally quieted down. Toph was grinning. "See?"_

_Lin collapsed on the couch, staring at her mother in amazement. "Wow… Mom – how did you do that?"_

"_Babies need to be burped after feeding, kid."_

"_What?"_

_Toph chuckled. "Yep. You heard me right – after you feed your kids, you gotta pat their back to help them burp. I do it all the time with Lei – I thought you noticed."_

"_Babies are weird. They can't even burp themselves."_

Lin often wondered how different it would be if Tenzin was there to help her take care of the kids. Of the two of them, it certainly was Tenzin who had a way with children. Maybe it was because of his desire to have children of his own – or maybe because it was in his nature – and Lin was reminded of it time and again during their relationship.

She was sure Tenzin would adore their children, especially Lian, whose eyes were as grey as his. Lin had no doubt that Lian, even at a week old, would take so much after her father – Like Tenzin, she was the quieter of the twins, and was also the easier one to keep calm. Kya often told her it was because Lian was frail, but Lin thought it was just plain old genetics – the kid has to take something after her father, after all.

Lin was quite happy that all of her and Kya's efforts were finally working – thanks to Kya's constant healing sessions, Lian was starting to breathe easily, although she would sometimes make small wheezing noises especially after feeding. Glancing over at Lian's cradle, Lin knew tonight would be one of those nights where mother and child would both sleep easy.

Rising from bed, she changed into her nightclothes and braided her hair, which she left to grow long. Now that she was a mother, Lin found that she had less and less time for herself, and the little luxuries she used to enjoy were quickly put aside so she could tend to the twins. The first few days with her babies were a blue of feeding, nappy changes and responding to their wails. But as the days progressed, Lin noticed that both babies were starting to respond to her voice and her touch – but nothing prepared her for the moment when she discovered that the twins responded to the mere sight of her.

Although she knew that newborn babies have limited eyesight, it didn't stop her from crying with joy when she realized that the twins actually _recognize_ her face – when she told her mother about it, Toph nearly leapt out of her chair, feeling ecstatic because, as she later related, her greatest fear was for the babies to be born blind.

Lin finally crawled into bed – sleep, which she took for granted for quite some time now, became a _luxury_ once you become a mom.

* * *

><p>Probably the best part of being a mother was the fact that she gets to take the babies out for a walk in the gardens every morning. Kya encouraged her to walk around the mansion gardens, both to balance out her chi and to give her much-needed exercise. It was also Kya who told her that it was good to let the babies bathe in the soft morning sunlight and breathe in the cool, late winter air. For this purpose, Suyin had one of the pavilions overlooking the koi pond replaced by a wooden viewing deck, and there the ladies would spend their mornings eating breakfast and cooing over the twins.<p>

"You should give the kids some tummy time, Lin," Suyin told her. They were sitting on the plush, snowy white carpet and dangling their feet over the koi pond.

"Tummy time?"

"Yeah, I read somewhere that it would help strengthen babies' muscles," Su explained.

Lin looked over her shoulder. Her mother was carrying Lei, talking to him in a strangely high-pitched voice. Kya, meanwhile, laid Lian on the carpet and was carefully moving the infant's legs in a bicycling motion. "By tummy time, you mean putting them on their stomach for a while, right?"

Su nodded. "They can lift their heads, right? I guess tummy time's pretty much in order."

"They sure can," Lin replied. She loves putting either of her babies on top of her chest, just so she could feel their heartbeats, which, until the moment of their birth, kept in time with hers. "It's amazing, Su."

"What is?"

"Almost a year ago, Tenzin and I broke up because of my reluctance to marry him and finally settle down and have his kids. If I knew then – that I'll be having his kids – I would've said yes. Look at me now, I'm a mom," she smiled. "And Mom's right – I love my kids. I don't think I could ever love someone as much as I love them."

"I know – I guess motherhood does that to women. Look at Mom."

"What the – _LIN BEIFONG!_ Your son just made a massive dump!" Toph shouted.

Lin hurried to her mother. "Relax, Mom, it's just _poop_," she laughed, taking Lei from his grandmother (who was currently looking a bit disgusted). "Kya, can I leave Lian with you for a while? I gotta go inside and change Lei."

Kya lifted Lian so that the baby could see her mother. "Say bye-bye to mommy, darling."

Lin kissed her daughter's cheek. "Mommy's gonna be right back, sweetie. I love – oh my! Did you guys see it?"

"What?" asked Su, looking alarmed.

"Lian _smiled_ at me!"

"Really?! That's so adorable!" Suyin squealed.

Kya looked excitedly at her niece. "Do it again, honey – show Auntie Kya that smile."

"Oh wow, I can totally _see_ it," Toph drawled. "Good job, Lian. You just gave your mom something to cry about."

"Mom!"

Toph was grinning from ear to ear. "Change that nappy already, woman!"

* * *

><p>Lin changed into loose clothes more appropriate for earthbending right after changing Lei's diaper. "I hope you're an earthbender like me," she whispered, picking up her son and pressing a slender finger on Lei's nose. Lei, who loved being touched, especially by his mother, gurgled in reply. "Oh you are so precious! I love you so much!"<p>

"Sis?"

She looked up to see Suyin standing in the doorway. "Yeah? Are they looking for me already?"

Su pulled out a piece of paper from her pocket. "Remember when you almost lost the twins and you sent me to find Tenzin?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Here's an update! I'm sorry if it seems too long. The next one's on Sunday night. :D_

_The song in the opening paragraphs is a translated, classic Chinese lullaby. _

_The last part of this chapter needs some recalling from you guys, so I hope you still remember previous events in this fic. As usual, reviews are greatly appreciated. Have fun reading!_


	36. Chapter 36

_Lin, there are three words I've been wanting to say to you for so long. I am sorry. I'm sorry because I wasn't brave enough. Im sorry because i left you. I'm sorry that i hurt you. Im sorry for giving up on us._

_One day i'll be back in your life and I will do everything it takes just to have you back. I will never lose hope that eventually we'll have our second chance. No matter how long, no matter what it takes I will never lose hope._

_Do we still have a second chance? Do you believe our love story deserves a better ending?_

_T._

"Su... I... Why didn't you give this to me right away?" She asked, clearly annoyed.

Suyin looked at her, mortified. "I was panicked, okay? I intended to give it to you that day, but all of us got so busy and I totally forgot. I'm sorry."

Lin folded it up and put it on her nightstand. She knew she had to reply to it soon, but at the moment she had no desire to do so. "Come now, darling, let's go out. Mommy's gonna do some bending," she whispered, scooping Lei into her arms once more.

"Aren't you gonna punch me or send a rock flying to my face?"

"No - why should I?" She replied, smiling at Su.

Suyin just shrugged and followed her sister out. "You've gone soft, Captain."

* * *

><p>"Ooooh! Look at Lei - or is this Lian?" Katara asked, pointing at the baby that Lin was carrying in the picture. "It's so nice to see Lin doing well, isn't it, sweetie?"<p>

"Yes, of course! Have they sent us other messages, son?" Aang asked, turning to Tenzin.

"That's the only one," he replied.

Katara finally put the photo down. "Kya's been calling every other day, sweetie - she says Lin is doing fine, can you believe she's doing earthbending again? Spirits, that girl is as tough as her mother!"

Tenzin cleared his throat. "Did Kya mention anything about Lian being frail?"

"Well she said Lian was a bit... q_uiet_," Aang replied. "But that's okay, right? Some babies are quiet by nature - right Katara?"

"Aunt Toph... She - er - she called me when Lin gave birth," Tenzin began, feeling wary as his parents both eyed him with concern. "And she told me that Lin had a hard time giving birth to Lian. She said the baby looked blue - and Kya told her Lian had weak lungs."

Katara clapped her hands over her mouth. "The poor dear! Oh Tenzin, why didn't you tell us right away? We could have flown there and done something to make Lian better!"

"I'm sorry, Mom - I got caught up with Pema and I -"

"Don't worry, son. I'm sure your sister's doing all she can to help Lin," Aang assured. "Sweetie, how about we fly out to Gaoling tomorrow morning and see how everyone's faring?"

Katara smiled. "Yes - that would be nice. I'm sure Toph won't mind us coming over ahead of schedule, right?"

"Then I better head to town and send them a line," Aang told her.

Bumi popped his head in the doorway. "Hey Mom, someone's on the phone. It's Chief Beifong."

"Or maybe not," Aang quipped.

* * *

><p>"Hello? Toph?"<p>

"Sugar Queen!" Toph yelled. "How are you?"

Katara smiled. She was overjoyed to hear her friend's voice after such a long time. "We're fine! And you?"

"_DREADFUL_," she deadpanned. "These preparations are killing me."

"Well it would've been easier if you had gone through the usual route," Katara said. "The invite came in the mail yesterday."

"Did it look nice?"

"Nice? Are you kidding me? _It looked gorgeous!_ Suyin did a good job designing it."

She could hear Toph make a clicking sound over the line. "Are you coming?"

"Yes, of course!"

"So the rumors are true?" Toph asked.

Katara paused, suddenly confused. "Erm - rumors?"

"You know - the split?" Toph clarified, emphasizing on _split_.

"Oh!" Katara exclaimed, finally realizing what Toph was talking about. "Where did you get wind of it?"

"Su saw it in a tabloid yesterday. The wedding's off, then?"

"Yes," Katara replied sadly.

"Your son sure took his time deciding," Toph chided. "How is he?"

"He's a bit mopey and brooding - but I'm sure he'll bounce back soon enough. Speaking of bouncing back, how's Lin?"

"Kid wants to go back to work, can you believe that?!" Toph exclaimed. "The twins are barely two weeks old and -"

Katara laughed. "She's your daughter Toph - don't you remember? You were the same way when you gave birth to Lin."

Toph went silent.

"Hello?"

"Oh so you're sassing me now, huh? Very funny, Katara," she said bitterly. "But Lin's doing fine. A bit confused sometimes, but she's fine. Twins are doing great as well."

"About the twins," Katara began, "Tenzin told us that Lian is sick."

"Well, yeah. Kya's been trying to heal her - Su says she's doing all this awesome glowing water stuff on my grandkid."

"How is the baby?"

"She's slowly improving," Toph replied. "You should be proud of Kya."

Katara smiled. Kya, out of all of her children, was the drifter. After mastering combative waterbending and healing in her teens, Kya left home to "discover herself" - she has honed her techniques in the North Pole; she enriched her spirituality in the Southern Air Temple; she went thrill-seeking in the Fire Nation; and, for a time, found love in Omashu. And somehow, after all her restlessness, Kya found home with the Beifongs. Nothing could've made Katara and Aang more proud. "Listen, Toph - er - Aang and I had a talk a while ago."

"What about?"

"Well, he thought he could help with Lian's healing - so we decided to fly out to Gaoling tomorrow morning. I hope you don't -"

"_WHAT?!_"

Katara held the receiver at arm's length, startled by Toph's sudden outrage. "If you don't want us to come, of course -"

"Of course I want you to come! That's awesome - wow - I'll have your rooms readied. Oh shit this is great," Toph rambled. "So you'll be here by the afternoon, then?"

"Yes, yes."

"This is great - I won't tell the girls."

"Well - bye Toph. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Sugar Queen."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Okay, so this chapter's really short - I'm sorry. It's because I'm busy writing another fic, this time a one-shot, set in the same universe as Two Lines. If you could recall the one-shot I wrote, called "Day Off", well, it's basically a follow-up. I'll be posting it later, so I hope you guys read it too. :D_

_My next update is gonna be on Thursday evening! :) Hopefully we'll get to see more of the Gaang in here!_


	37. Chapter 37

_Liang zhi laohu,_

_Liang zhi laohu_

_Pao de kuai_

_Pao de kuai_

_Yi zhi meiyou yanjing_

_Yi zhi meiyou weiba_

_Zhen qiguai_

_Zhen qiguai_

"Lin, why are even singing that god-awful rhyme? Kya giggled. "The babies can't even understand it yet."

"They like it when I'm singing," Lin replied. "Don't you, Lian? Don't you adore it when mommy sings to you? Awww, look at those dimples! You're so pretty, darling! Who's the prettiest girl in the Earth Kingdom? You are!'

"Look at her, Su! Look at your sister!" Kya said, trying to suppress a laugh. Lin's displays of motherly affection always struck her family as rather weird – after all, her public image was that of a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails crimefighter. Kya can't help but find it hilarious whenever Lin plays with her children.

Lin looked at Kya intently, and then raised an eyebrow. "Oh – so you would rather have me sing 'Secret Tunnel', then?"

"_I_ happen to think it's a _wonderful_ song," Kya retorted.

"_If _you're a _badgermole¸_ then yes!" Lin teased.

"Haha – that's so _funny_, Captain Mom – hey Su, is Baatar coming over for the party?" she asked, quickly turning the flow of the conversation to her cousin.

Suyin looked up from her reading (giggling when she heard Lin saying, "Kya's changing the topic, what a loser). "He'll be in Ba Sing Se for two weeks, but he did tell me he'd try to make it, so I took that as a yes. Sort of."

"_Secret tunnel…_"

"_LIN!_"

"Look, baby! Aunt Kya's mad. Boo-hoo," she teased. "How's it going between you and Baatar, Su?"

"Oh, just the usual. We go to dinner, he watches me perform onstage – that stuff," Suyin replied with a smile.

"Are you guys like, _exclusively_ dating?" Kya asked.

"If by _exclusive_ you mean our worlds revolve around each other, I guess yeah – we're pretty exlusive," Suyin announced delightfully.

Lin rolled her eyes. "Young love," she muttered dreamily. "Sometimes it works, most of the time it doesn't. Be careful, sis."

"Someone's bitter," Kya jested.

'I'm just saying the truth, alright? True love is elusive. It's easy to say 'I love you'; it's even easier to think he loves you too – but there's no assurance that he's the one, you get me?" Lin explained.

Suyin pondered on her sister's words for a while. "We're not getting serious yet, Lin."

"Please don't think I'm putting Baatar down, Su. Just – take good care of your heart, okay? It's the one thing in this world that could truly make you happy. Don't let anyone mess with it. Trust your heart because it does not lie."

Kya looked at Lin mischievously. "Are you crying?"

"I most certainly am not!"

"Yes you are! Look, your eyes are red!" she insisted.

Lin flung bits of earth from a potted plant toward her friend, laughing. "Eat dust, Kya!"

"Oh, sis. Don't worry – Baatar's a nice man," Su assured.

"Tenzin was nice, too," she napped. "Look at us now – _ugh_ – why are we even talking about this?"

Kya took the baby from Lin. "Beats me – but, come to think of it, what're you gonna do if Tenzin decides to come?"

"I'll cross the bridge when I get there," she dismissed. She had been waiting – _praying_ so hard for Tenzin to come back to her, but now that it seemed likely to happen, Lin had no idea why all of a sudden she felt scared.

Kya was making funny faces at Lian. "You know, honey – I think I know what your mom's thinking."

"What?" Lin asked.

"You're thinking that if Tenzin decides to come back, it's because he doesn't want the kids to grow up fatherless," she replied.

"I don't want him to come back because – because he _pities_ me, Kya – or because he feels like it's his obligation. I want him to come back because he _still_ loves me."

"You still haven't told us what the letter said, though," Suyin said from her corner. "And why did you suddenly go all mushy after reading it? What did it say?"

Lin smiled.

"Oh this is gonna be good! Spill it Captain!" Kya beamed. "Let the baby hear what daddy had to say."

_One day I'll be back in your life and I will do everything it takes just to have you back. I will never lose hope that eventually, we'll have our second chance. No matter how long, no matter what it takes I will never lose hope._

Did she really want to tell Kya and Su? Both women were hopeless romantics, and Lin was afraid that if she mentioned anything about a possible reconciliation, Kya and her sister would spread the word like wildfire. Instead, she settled for a cruder version of Tenzin's letter. "He was apologizing for being such a jerk."

A deep furrow appeared on Su's forehead. "That's it?"

"Yeah – come here, Lian darling. It's time for your meal," she replied nonchalantly as Kya handed her daughter back.

"It sure doesn't seem like it, because after you read the letter you were all blushing and smiling," Suyin pressed on.

Lin steered the conversation to a different topic. "Kya, what kind of food should I eat to enhance lactation?"

"Lin, I've been putting them in your meals _every single day_. Stop changing the topic, woman!" Kya replied. "Do you still love Tenzin!"

Lin freed her bosom from the binding, allowing Lian to latch onto her and feed. Feeding her children was always a comforting experience for Lin, because it gave her time for introspection and allowed her to be intimate with the babies.

"Hello - I was talking to you, Captain Mom."

"You know the answer, Kya."

"But will you give him a second chance?" Suyin asked.

"I –"

Toph burst into the room, carrying a crying Lei in her arms. Obviously, her mother had been showing off the child to anyone who was interested again. "Hey pup – Lei's hungry."

What's interesting about Toph Beifong is that aside from her being the uncontested _best earthbender in the world_ is that she actually recognized her grandkids' needs by the way they cried. Lin had no idea how her mother could do it, but each time, without fail, Toph would tell her to feed a hungry Lei, or change Lian's soiled nappy, and it would prove to be just the thing the children needed. "Can you hold on to him for a little longer, Mom? Lian's still at it."

"I suppose you won't mind if I let the guests hold him for a while, right?" Toph asked playfully.

Suyin's curiosity was piqued. "Guests? Whoa – what's up, Mom?"

"There's a bald airbender and a lady outside," Toph announced. She retreated to the doorway and screamed. "You guys can come in now!"

Aang and Katar soon entered the room, arm in arm.

"Mom! Dad!" Kya ran to her parents, embracing each of them. "Wow – you're early!"

"We thought we might help around," Aang replied. "I heard it's going to be a big celebration!"

"Sweetie! Close your eyes!" Katara exclaimed, putting a hand over Aang's eyes.

"Hey!"

"Lin's feeding the baby," she replied.

"Oh – Aunt Katara, it's okay – Lian's done," Lin assured while rearranging her clothing. She held out the baby for Katara to see. "D-do you want to hold her?"

Without any hesitation, Katara welcomes her granddaughter into her arms. LIan, who was quite unaccustomed to Katara's touch, began squirming in her arms. "Oh, you poor dear! I must've surprised you! There, there – gran-gran's here," she said, trying to soothe the baby. "How pretty you are! You look just like your mother – and those _eyes_! Sweetie, come and have a look!"

"Hello, baby girl! Oh – she's smiling at me? Did you see that?" Aang laughed. He was obviously smitten by Lian, despite only having been with her for a few minutes. "I'm Grandpa Aang!"

"How are the boys?" Kya asked.

"Bumi's furlough is almost over, but he filed for an extended leave so he could celebrate with us – you know how he loves parties," Katara replied, still looking adoringly at the babe in her arms. "Oh – and you'll be happy to know that Tenzin's being considered for a seat in the Council!"

Kya clapped her hands in delight. "Really? Wow, that's great!"

As Kya and her parents caught up with each other, Toph pulled he elder daughter, who was now feeding Lei, to the corner. "Lin, are you okay with Aang and Katara being here?"

Lin had her back to the guests, her blouse arranged in such a manner as to preserve modesty. "Of course, Mom! Why do you ask?"

"I thought you'd go weepy, is all," Toph replied.

"It's perfectly okay, Mom. Aunt Katara and Uncle Aang deserve to see the twins – and besides, I don't have issues with them, it's Tenzin who has to answer to me. Aunt Katara is like a second mother to me, and I know that you know how much Uncle Aang means to me," she explained.

Toph gave Lin's shoulder a squeeze. "That's my girl."

"Uncle Aang? Is everything okay?" Suyin asked.

Kya approached her father. He was still holding Lian, but at the same time he was sobbing uncontrollably. Gently, she took the baby away from her father's shaky arms. "Dad, are you okay?"

Aang wiped his eyes and managed to smile. "It's just that I'm so… _happy_! I – I never thought the day would come when I could hold my _grandkids_ in my arms, and I have Lin to thank for that!"

"Wow – you're worse than me," Toph quipped. "When Lin gave birth I didn't even cry. I was just happy."

"We show happiness in different ways, Toph," Katara said. "Lin, how can we ever thank you? We know that this wasn't part of your plans, darling. We know how much you have sacrificed for the children. How can we ever thank you?"

Lin just sat on the couch, smiling to herself and quietly feeding Lei.

Aang burst into another bout of joyful sobbing, saying "_They're so cute! I want to hug them!"_ again and again.

Toph, who found Aang's emotional displays rather weird and unsettling for "a man of his stature and reputation", promptly bopped her old friend's head. "Now _that_ is a valid reason for you to tear up!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: **

_This chapter made me really happy because of Aang. Haha. He got so emotional. As usual, next update would be on Sunday night! I hope you guys like this chapter! Happy reading!_

_P.S.: To CombustionNation, I'm happy to announce that the Kya backstory that got you so pumped up is in the works! Hooray!_


	38. Chapter 38

"_Daddy, come," a little girl with black hair and bright, sparkling grey eyes beckoned to him. At the distance, beneath the shade of a great tree, he could see Lin Beifong, seemingly dancing around a little boy with messy black hair._

"_Daddy?" the little girl looked back at him, her hair dancing in the breeze. She held out her hand, looking invitingly at him._

_Tenzin reached for her, but as soon as he did, the little girl started running to Lin. He saw her stumble for a moment and regain her balance, only to fall again. For a while, his view of the little girl was blocked by the tall grass. Tenzin ran, intending to help her up, but despite his efforts to pick up speed, he didn't seem to advance any further._

_He saw Lin hurry to the little girl, her eyes full of concern. The little boy stopped – Tenzin realized he was earthbending – and lifted a hand to shade his eyes from the glare of the sun. Lin helped the little girl up, clicking her tongue as she smoothed out the girl's clothes. She gently lifted the girl into her arms. "Hush now – Mommy's here."_

_Suddenly, Tenzin's throat felt dry. "Lin…" he croaked as Lin started to walk away from him._

_Lin looked back, sadness and anger mingling in her eyes. "You could've at least done something for her," she told him angrily before walking away._

* * *

><p>He jerked up from bed, his whole body drenched in sweat. <em>What was that all about?<em> He thought, glancing at the clock by his bedside. It was three in the morning. Knowing well that sleep would elude him, Tenzin cast the sheets aside and went to the closet to change his shirt.

As he placed an old, well-worn tank top over his head, he heard the faint strains of a popular ballad playing in the distance. _Bumi_,he thought. Trust Bumi to fall asleep while a gramophone worked at full blast. Shaking his head, Tenzin left the room, meaning to turn off the gramophone in Bumi's.

When he cracked the door open, however, he was surprised to see Bumi still wide awake, silently chuckling to himself as he was looking at what seemed to be a photo album. Numerous other albums were strewn across the floor as well.

"You can come in if you want, Tenzin," he said.

Tenzin wordlessly walked into the room and sat beside his brother.

"Can't sleep too?" Bumi asked.

Tenzin thought about the dream. "I just woke up – from a – a dream."

"What? Was it spirit stuff?"

"No."

Bumi reached for another photo album and cracked it open. "Oh. Okay."

"I dreamt of Lin," he piped, picking up an album for himself. "And the twins – at least in my dream, you know – they were the twins."

"What happened?"

"There was a little girl – gods, she looked so _much_ like Lin – and she was asking me to come with her… but I didn't. I don't know why. She fell, Bumi – and I wasn't able to help her up. Lin was so mad," he opened the album and stared blankly at the photo in front of him. "It was so _real_."

"You know what Mom says about dreams – they're the opposite of real life – look at this! You still have hair!" Bumi laughed, pointing at a sepia-toned photo. "Man, you look _weird_ – you still do, but your old self is weirder."

Tenzin looked at the photo his brother was pointing at. He could've been anywhere from twelve to fourteen in it, looking awkward in his robes which hung limply from his lanky frame. "Where'd you get all this stuff?"

"Nicked 'em from Dad's study," Bumi replied, flipping over a page. "Ah, _look at this_. I miss this man."

The photo showed their Uncle Sokka holding a toddler Suyin high up in the air. Tenzin smiled – although his father was the greatest influence in his life, there were times when he sought to emulate his Uncle Sokka's carefree, easy demeanor. Sokka was a big part of their young lives, without a doubt playing a biger role in Bumi's. "Sometimes it's hard to believe he's gone, huh?"

"I know – I wish he was here to see the babies. He would've loved to hold them," Bumi agreed. "Do you remember that summer at Ember Island when he _genuinely_ made us believe he was Lin's _real_ dad?"

"Like yesterday," Tenzin laughed.

"Shoulda seen your face then, Ten-ten. You were devastated because you thought you can never get a move on Beifong," Bumi teased.

* * *

><p><em>Twelve-year old Lin Beifong ran to Sokka, her eyes swimming with tears. "Daaaaaaaaaad!"<em>

"_Hey Pup, what's the matter?"_

"_It's Tenzin," she pouted, "he kissed me!"_

_Tenzin watched as his Uncle Sokka listened to an irate Lin, humming and hawing as she complained about him. Suddenly, Tenzin found himself looking eye to eye with his uncle. "Hey, Ten - could you maybe come over here for a sec?"_

"_Looks like someone's gonna be grounded for _forever_," Bumi whispered._

"_It's _your_ fault, Bumi!" Tenzin hissed, elbowing his brother's side._

_It was the height of summer, and all of the old gang was in Ember Island, at Fire Lord Zuko's new summer home. While the adults were lounging around, reminiscing about old times, the younger ones – Kya, Izumi, Bumi, Tenzin and Lin – decided to play spin-the-bottle. When the bottle pointed at Tenzin, he unblinkingly chose "dare", thinking that Kya or Izumi would dare him to do an air scooter or some other airbending maneuver again. Much to his chagrin, however, Bumi dared him to "kiss the lips of the hottest girl in our bunch"._

_His kissed Lin, of course – because he can't very well kiss Kya, or Princess Izumi, even if the latter was a good friend of theirs. Also, he kissed Lin because – well, because he liked her._

_Cautiously, he approached Sokka._

"_Well – Lin here told me you _kissed _her," he told Tenzin with a serious look in his face._ "_Do you like Lin_?"

_Tenzin shook his head._

_Behind him, Lin hissed, "I'm gonna get you for this, airhead."_

"_I'm Lin's dad, and I'm also your uncle," Sokka continued, "Which makes Lin your…"_

_Tenzin's eyes widened with sudden realization. "Cousin," he squeaked._

"_Damn right," Sokka said, looking at him darkly._

* * *

><p>"Remember after that you ran to me saying you were an incestuous pig?" Bumi guffawed. "Good times, I say – and you kept avoiding Lin and her mom for the whole day!"<p>

"Hey – I was thirteen then. And besides, it was okay for me to be confused because Lin has called Uncle Sokka 'Dad' for forever," Tenzin defended, turning red. "I remember getting so _embarrassed_ in front of Mom and Dad when I told them all about it – and you know what they did? They laughed at me. Why must you talk about this, Bumi?"

"I can't help it!"

The brothers laughed as they continued poring over the pictures, exchanging stories of childhood follies and escapades with their uncle. Tenzin soon closed the one he was holding and sighed. "I wish Uncle Sokka was here."

"Yeah, me too," Bumi agreed, glossing over a photo showing Sokka and Toph in wedding attire. "He would've loved to see you and Lin – _your cousin_ – settled down."

"And he would've loved the kids, too," Tenzin added wistfully. "He would've made a great playmate."

"Absolutely."

They spent a few minutes in silence, both thinking that the spirits took their beloved uncle away from them too soon. Tenzin could remember, clear as day, when a bleeding plague swept all over the city, leaving hundreds of women widowed, and a hundred more children orphaned. Toph and her girls were spared only because Sokka made them stay in the Island, while he and Aang assisted in the relief efforts. The plague soon left the city, taking Sokka with it.

"Remember when I was fifteen and I ran away from home because I had a row with dad?" he asked.

"I must've been nine or ten then. Why?"

"I went to Uncle Sokka that night."

* * *

><p><em>Bumi was thankful that his Uncle Sokka finally settled in Republic City – otherwise he would have to sleep in some dark alleyway tonight. Usually it was Toph who would let him crash on her couch during times like these, but she was called away for an all-nighter, and Lin was in Air Temple Island under his parents' care.<em>

_As he navigated the narrow stairwell to his uncle's modest apartment, Bumi can't help but think that out of all the people in the world, Sokka was the only one who understood him – even more than his parents did. How could they possibly understand him? They're both benders – very powerful ones, too. They don't _get_ how it feels like to be left out._

"_Hey, Uncle Sokka – it's me, Bumi," he called out as he rapped on Sokka's door._

_A few seconds later, Sokka opened it. "Hey, Boom-boom – tough night at home?"_

_He smiled warily at his uncle. "You bet."_

"_Come in, then- I got some hot sake and noodles," Sokka invited, giving him a pat on the back._

* * *

><p>"It was Uncle Sokka who told me I wasn't… <em>broken<em>," Bumi chuckled. "Or weak – you know, because unlike Kya and you, I'm a non-bender. He was the one who encouraged me to discover my strengths, to think out of the box, and focus my energies on making these strengths better."

"Uncle Sokka was right, you know," said Tenzin. "of us all, you're the most level-headed, the most self-sufficient and most adaptable to change. You didn't rely on bending to prove how much of a great person you are. You're a good person, Bumi – when you're sober, at least."

Bumi laughed. "Fuck you! You're saying that because you have never gotten drunk in your whole life!"

Tenzin looked at his brother mischievously. "As a matter of fact, I did get _rip-roaring_ drunk before."

"Really, now?!"

"Oh yes – and it was with Lin."

* * *

><p><em>She was nineteen, fresh out of the academy (and a topnotcher at that), and he was twenty – both of them very, very in love with each other. Toph was at the headquarters, as usual, and Suyin was out on a camping trip at school.<em>

_They were alone._

_It was like any other sleepover they had – Lin would sneak some liquor from her mother's stash, bring it upstairs to her room and have Tenzin drink some ("Like a proper man," she would say); they would turn on the gramophone, pick a record at random, and dance to whatever slow song would play; they would then end the night with a chaste peck or two, and he would head off to the guest room._

_But this night was different._

_Tenzin felt that he had drunk more than his usual share – he can barely keep his head up – and Lin – oh, the she-devil! Why must she move so _provocatively_ tonight? And why did her clothes cling so tightly to her body? Was she always like this?_ _Ah, he didn't know._

_Why were his trousers suddenly so… tight?_

_He took slow steps towards her – she was singing in time with the record, her eyes closed as she twirled round and round. Tenzin seized her by the waist, smiling devilishly as he heard her gasp._

_Lin spun around so she could face him, wrapping her arms around Tenzin's neck. She pressed her body closer to him, and Tenzin could almost swear he could hear their energies crackling in the air. Spurred on by the alcohol raging in her veins, she greedily kissed Tenzin, grinning against his lips as she felt him kissing back._

_She pulled away after what seemed like forever, pausing to catch her breath. Looking him the eye, she asked, "Ten years from now, will we still be like this?"_

_Tenzin kissed her forehead. "Ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen… one hundred… forever and ever!"_

"_Promise?"_

"_Promise."_

* * *

><p>"So, did you or did you not?" Bumi asked, naughtily wiggling his eyebrows.<p>

He looked at his brother indignantly. "Of course not!"

"Why?"

"Lin put me to bed because I passed out," he explained, after which Bumi let out an ear-splitting laugh and smacked his brother's arm with the album he was holding.

"I can't believe you, Tenzin. I can't!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _This is one of my favorite chapters because I love Sokka. :') I think he's a great character - too bad BryKe didn't tell uswhat became of him in LoK. I'd liek to think Sokka was the best uncle ever, especially to Bumi, because he knows what its like to be considered inferior due to the lack of bending abilities. Second, this chapter was written because we've been getting a lot of "girl time" in this fic, and I think putting in a chapter where we see Tenzin and Bumi bonding would balance it all out._

_Also, I know you guys know there's a huge age gap between Tenzin and Bumi, but I kinda bent their ages to better suit the timeline of this fic. So there._

_As usual, next update will be on Thursday night. I hope you like this chapter (I know I did), and reviews are greatly appreciated!_


	39. Chapter 39

"Are you sure you want to go through with this, sweetheart?" Katara asked Lin.

They have less than two weeks until the night of the new moon – the Spring Festival, actually – and tonight, the gardens of the Beifong estate were illuminated by the soft, milky light of waning gibbous moon.

Tonight, Lin decided to ask the spirits to heal her daughter.

Lin glanced from Katara to her daughter, who was sleeping in her arms. "Yes, Aunt Katara."

Katara stared absently at the garden. Years of going with the Avatar on many adventures taught her much about the Spirits and the consequences of associating with them. "Lin, sweetie, I want you to know that spirits are very fickle-minded beings," she began, "and for every benevolent spirit we find, there could well be a hundred more whose intentions are less… _noble_."

"I'm pretty confident that Uncle Aang can help us, Auntie. He can be quite persuasive – and besides, he's the Avatar. We'll be okay," Lin tried to smile, but a slight twitch in her eyes betrayed that she was, in fact, scared.

Growing up, all of them were familiar with the story of Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe and how, in the ultimate act of bravery, she _sacrificed_ her own life so that the Moon Spirit may live. Lin thought that it was just one of the Avatar's fantastic tales – most of them are – right until she gave birth to a particularly frail baby. Like Princess Yue's parents, Lin knew she was ready to try anything to make Lian better, even if it meant seeking help from the capricious spirits.

She had been entertaining the idea in her mind for some time now, and by some coincidence, the Avatar and his wife flew in from Republic City. Grabbing the chance, she told Aang all about her plans – rejoicing when she found out that Aang actually shared the same idea. Toph and Katara, however, were very much against it.

Toph almost agreed, had Aang not mentioned taking Lin with him to the Spirit World. When she learned of Aang's plan she immediately shook her head, pointing out that "Twinkletoes can do the job just fine," and that Lin deals with crooks and hooligans, not "mumbo-jumbo creatures". She soon relented – but not before telling Aang that she will bash his head should something bad happen to Lin.

So Lin and Aang, with the approval of (the still reluctant) Toph and Katara, began planning their short journey into the Spirit World. There wasn't much planning for Lin to do, however – like Toph Beifong, she wasn't a very spiritual person and thus had little to no idea about spirits and what to do with them. It was Aang who selected the most auspicious day for them to ask the spirits a favor.

"Don't worry, Aunt Katara. We'll be alright," she smiled. Sighing, she shakily walked out into the garden, where Aang and the others were waiting on the wooden view deck.

Toph scowled when she felt Lin and Katara approaching. Suyin elbowed their mother, while Kya, who was holding a very wide awake Lei, wore a nervous expression on her face. Clearly, they weren't comfortable with the whole arrangement.

A basinful of clear water lay on the plush carpet before them. Whether by bending or nature, the water inside the basin was _very_ still – _unnaturally still_, in fact. In the dim moonlight it appeared as an endless dark hole, which made Lin feel all the more unnerved.

Aang sat just beside the basin, wearing his everyday robes. He was smiling that goofy smile of his as he beckoned Lin to come closer.

"I thought you'd be wearing more… _ceremonial_ stuff," she observed as she handed Lian to Katara and sat beside Aang.

Aang just shrugged. "Oh – we don't need that. I just meditate my way into the Spirit World and it just works."

"Well – I can't," Lin told him.

"_Precisely_," Toph piped.

"Mom, we've been through this."

Toph stomped her foot impatiently. "I don't get why you should go into the Spirit World – _obviously_ Sugar Queen and Kya are doing a great job for the kid!"

"Mom, I just want Lian to get better, okay? I want her to be better _for good_," Lin retorted. "I thought you understood this already – I mean, what kind of Mom am I if I don't work my fucking ass off for _my own daughter_? You of all people should understand that!"

Suyin placed a hand on her mother's shoulder. "_Mom_, Lin's right – I know you're not okay with this – _I'm not okay with it, personally_ – but if this is what she thinks is good for Lian, then we should believe her. Uncle Aang's with her – I will stay here with Aunt Katara while they're gone – everything's under control, Mom."

Toph sighed. "I just – _Lin_, I can't be with you there. I can't protect you while you're in there."

"We'll be okay, Mom – go get some rest," Lin assured.

"Like I'll be sleeping," Toph deadpanned. "Come, Kya – put the baby in bed and let's get us some drinks. This is gonna be a long night."

* * *

><p>Aang clapped his hands. "Okay – is everyone ready?" he beamed, looking around. "Katara, sweetie – the water, if you will."<p>

With a swift, graceful motion of her hand, Katara set the water in the basin aglow. Lin looked on in amazement as the water shifted colors – turquoise, then sky blue, and then gold.

"I – I'm afraid I don't understand, Uncle."

"Water is a great element," Aang said thoughtfully. "Just think about it – it runs in our veins. It's in the air. Water can break down rocks and quench fire. Water can conduct energy, Lin – and it is that precise characteristic of water that we shall utilize in order to channel the energy of the spirits tonight."

"Why did you choose this date?" Lin asked.

"Oh _wow_, Lin – you ask a lot of questions for someone who _understands_ what she's going into," Suyin deadpanned. Lian was now awake and squirming in her arms.

Aang smiled and waved a hand a Suyin, as if telling her it was alright. "The moon, as you well know, is the strongest driving force behind waterbending."

"And a waning moon, my dear girl, symbolizes healing. And in healing, one casts away the pains and hurts of the past, entering a new seasonof life and giving oneself a chance to right the wrongs and start anew. This is why Aang chose this date, Lin," Katara explained.

Aang assumed a meditative pose. "Katara, sweetie – you know what to do."

Katara nodded slowly. "Take care, Aang."

"Lin, take my hand –" Aang held out a palm towards Lin. "I want you to take deep, slow breaths, let your guard down and empty your mind. Holding my hand will allow spiritual chi to flow through you as well."

"Good luck, sis," Suyin smiled.

Lin blew a kiss towards her daughter and held Aang's hand.

* * *

><p><strong>AN**: _This update is SO late, I know - I've been quite sick for the past few days, PLUS the internet at home crashed. Anyway, I'll upload the next one shortly as a treat! Happy reading guys!_


	40. Chapter 40

"Lin."

She rubbed her eyes.

"Lin, get up."

_Uncle Aang_? Was the ritual done? Was it morning already? She opened her eyes slowly against the glare of a bright white light around her. She felt Aang's hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake.

"Lin?"

It took her quite some time to adjust to her surroundings. When her vision cleared, she found herself laying in a vast meadow of tall, green grass; above her, the sky was a clear blue, dotted by the occasional lazy cloud drifting by. "W-where are we?"

Aang beamed. "This is the Spirit World, Lin!"

She looked around. "But… it doesn't look… _spiritual_," she muttered.

"It's because we're at the _edge_," Aang explained enthusiastically. "This is something like the boundary between their world and ours. The Spirit World is a vast and wondrous place, as you might discover later."

"If it's _vast_, Uncle – how can we find someone to help us?"

Aang jumped up and shielded his eyes from the sun (Lin doesn't even know if there's a sun in the Spirit World – perhaps a really bright spirit light?). He pointed at something in the distance. "There – do you see that, Lin?"

Rising from the ground, Lin squinted her eyes, trying to see what Aang was pointing at. "Do you mean the grove of trees over there?"

Aang laughed. "That's not a grove of trees, kid. It's one big tree. We'll find what we're looking for right there."

Lin surmised, from how small the tree looked from where she stood, that it was quite some distance away, perhaps half a mile or more. Since the meadow appeared relatively straight, Lin thought it wouldn't take her and Aang a lot of time to reach. "It doesn't look too far – we better start walking if we're to reach it in a short time."

"You're right," he agreed. "Let's go."

Lin had been walking for a few minutes when she noticed that her companion, who was usually bubbly and talkative (despite being a grown man, and the _Avatar_), was silent. She looked back, expecting to see him, but she soon found out he was nowhere to be seen. "_Uncle Aang? Where are you?_"

Her calls were answered by the echoes of her own voice.

_What if I got lost? What if I wasn't paying attention and I didn't see Aang make a turn?_

"_LIN_!"

She looked towards the big tree, as Aang's voice seemed to be coming from it.

"Uncle Aang?"

"Lin! Over here!"

Aang was standing right under the tree, his orange and yellow robes dancing in the breeze. Lin stopped in her tracks, confused. "How did you get there?!"

"It's easy!" Aang's voice trailed off in the wind. "You have to think hard!"

"What?!"

"THINK HARD AND FOCUS ON YOUR DESTINATION!"

She tried to do as Aang told her, imagining herself standing right beside the Avatar under the shade of the great tree. All of a sudden a strong force pulled at her, and she could feel herself being propelled forward at dizzying speed. When the sensation stopped, Lin opened her eyes. Aang was standing beside her, wearing a proud expression on his face.

"See? Travelling here is easy, but I think it's more fun riding on the backs of the great spirit animals," he said.

Lin marveled at the huge tree in front of her. Their Gaoling home was big, but in her eyes the tree easily dwarfed the whole estate. She admired the old, gnarled roots and the way they curled over each other, blending solidly and seamlessly into the soil. The great, reddish brown trunk rose high into the sky, spreading out into an intricate lattice of branches both sturdy and delicate. Although there was no discernible breeze, the leaves swayed sleepily in their branches, and the occasional rosy petal fluttered down. Lin placed a hand on one of the roots, pulling back in surprise when she felt the tree _breathing_.

"It's _alive_," she whispered.

Aang looked lovingly at the tree. "It is, and that's what makes it beautiful. Do you know why I chose this place, Lin?"

She shook her head.

"Spirits often come to rest here. It's like an oasis to them. Such a tranquil place is sure to attract spirits of the benevolent sort," he explained. "I am pretty confident we would be lucky today."

* * *

><p>"How will we know if it's time?" Suyin asked. "It's not like they're going to give us a signal or something – I mean, given the state they're in."<p>

Both Aang and Lin were seated in the lotus position – Aang's tattoos glowed bright blue against the dark, and a gentle blue light radiated from where he and Lin held hands.

"Lin should be the first one to come back," Katara replied.

"And then?"

"And then, when it's Aang's turn, we can help bend spirit energy into this water and use it to heal the baby," she continued. "For now we have to keep watch – Su, I want you to keep a close eye on the baby. At this point we are at our most vulnerable."

* * *

><p>It wasn't as if she was noisy – in fact she hadn't made a peep since arriving under the tree, but Aang shushed her like she was a child. She would've reacted had she not seen the intense look of concentration on the Avatar's face.<p>

"Someone is coming," he whispered. Light on his feet, as usual, Aang leapt from root to root until he reached the other side of the tree which faced a crystal clear stream. Lin followed suit, scrambling over the roots clumsily as they seemed to shift beneath her feet.

A young lady with long, lustrous black hair and gossamer robes had her back to them – she was tossing shiny, black and white pebbles into the stream, laughing merrily when they made soft plopping sounds as they hit the water. Aang looked back at Lin and raised a hand, signaling her to stay put while he continued to approach the young lady.

"You may approach, Avatar," Lin heard the lady say. Her voice was deep, somewhat well-rounded – something you wouldn't expect from a lady of such delicate appearance.

"Noble Lady," Aang greeted. "What should I call you?"

The lady laughed. "I go by a lot of names, Avatar. I've heard humans call me Amihan, or Fenglian or some other name. I am everywhere. I am The Wind."

"But I cannot call you merely as 'wind', right?"

"Ah, you can call me by any name. They are one and the same to me," she replied.

"Well then, Lady Amihan, I have come –"

Amihan faced the Avatar. "I know very well what you seek, Avatar. _Words are wind_. I know you come seeking my help, and you have brought with you a young woman whose trouble it is you wish to solve."

Aang didn't need to tell Lin what to do – carefully, she stepped out of her hiding place and walked carefully within the spirit's sight.

The spirit nodded at Lin. "It seems to me as if _humans_ always come to the spirits for help – I haven't done much for your kind, actually. Tell me, young woman, what do you wish for? Fame? Riches?"

Lin shook her head. "I do not wish anything for myself, good spirit."

Amihan was taken aback. She eyed Lin with curiosity. "Nothing for yourself? That's something new. If not for yourself, then for whom do you wish me to grant a favor?"

Lin kept her eyes glued to the ground, because she thought the spirit wouldn't like it if she looked her in the eye. "It's for my baby."

"A mother, I see," Amihan pondered. "There is no greater love in this world than a mother's love. It is a love most pure, most noble."

"Will you help us, then, great lady?"

The spirit flew into the air, hovering a few feet above Lin and Aang. "Perhaps I will," she announced playfully. "But the young lady must pass my test first."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Next update will be on Friday!_


	41. Chapter 41

"A test?"

"You have heard me correctly, young woman," the spirit replied. "After all, what's a challenge for one so motivated by love?"

Lin looked at Aang, worry creasing her lovely face. Aang just tilted his head at her, pressing her on. _Listen and wait._ "Alright then, Lady Amihan. I'll do your _test_."

"Good!" she swooped down towards Lin, changing her form from a fair young maiden into a huge bird with green and blue plumage. She settled on Lin's left shoulder and ruffled her feathers. "Some distance north from this tree is a forest, within which a pond of silver water is located. However, the foliage there is so dense – I cannot enter through the canopy nor walk through the forest without damaging my robes or my feathers."

"Do you want me to retrieve the water there for you?" Lin asked.

"Yes, please."

_This is too easy_, she thought. "Alright."

"Another thing, human –"

_I knew it_.

"- once you procure the water for me, I want you to come back to this tree and take the trail due west – " she pointed at a stone path cutting through a flowerbed, "and meet me at the pavilion at the end of the road. All this you must accomplish before the moon sets in the material world."

"What's the catch?" she asked.

"Catch?"

"I mean, what's in it for me, Lady Amihan?" Lin clarified. "What will happen if I fail?"

"If you fail, then there's nothing I can do to help you," the spirit replied matter-of-factly.

"And if I succeed?"

"Then I would do my best to help you. Look at it as a fair trade," she said. "If you get the spirit water for me, I can grant your wish."

Lin looked at Aang. "Can the Avatar help me?"

The great bird flew into the air once more. "You're asking too much, human!"

"Lin, sweetheart, I'm afraid you have to do this quest on your own," Aang told her. "However…"

Amihan settled on a low branch and began preening her feathers. "Oh, I know what you're thinking, Avatar. You're thinking of asking me to allow you to guide this young woman in her quest – tell me, Avatar, what makes this young woman so important to you?"

"Her baby is my granddaughter," Aang quickly replied. "And I have a feeling that the baby is an _airbender_."

"_Family _– ah, I understand now."

Aang approached the spirit. "If you could at least let me guide Lin through the journey, it would make me really happy, Lady Amihan. She's quite unfamiliar with the land, and I'm afraid that without my guidance she would get lost."

Amihan stopped preening, seemingly lost in her thoughts. "Fine then – I shall let you accompany her, but I must get something in return."

Lin remained quiet and let Aang bargain with the spirit.

"You are the Spirit of the North Wind – if Lin succeeds in her quest and the baby gets better, we promise to help the baby grow up to be a master in the airbending art," he said.

"If we fail, I promise _never_ to step foot in your world again," Lin added.

The spirit looked unconvinced. "Everyone knows that almost all airbenders are masters. What makes this baby special?"

"She's one of the last three airbenders in the world."

Amihan quickly morphed back into her human form. "_Last… three_? What do you mean?"

"It's a long story," he quipped. "I was actually the last airbender until thirty years ago, when my son was born."

"Very well, Avatar. I will let you guide _Lin_ through her quest. But you are not allowed to assist her in any other way than pointing her in the right direction. You are not to lay a finger on her, nor tell her how to deal with the misfits you might encounter along the way. Doing otherwise would mean failure for her," Amihan admonished.

"Thank you!"

Amihan conjured a crystal vial on a chain and handed it to Lin. "You have to fill this vial and bring it to me, as instructed."

She took the bottle carefully and wore it around her neck. "How will I know how much time I have left?"

"Ah, yes – " she handed an hourglass to Aang. "Flip it over, Avatar."

Lin looked at the grains of sand gradually trickling down.

Amihan changed back into a bird, and flew high up in the air, following the stone path. "Make haste, then!" she called out.

Aang scrambled down from the huge tree roots. "Well – you heard her, Lin."

"Let's get this show on the road."

* * *

><p>The water in the basin started rippling, distorting the image of the moon reflected in it. "Ah, it appears they have made some contact," Katara said knowingly. "Come closer, Suyin. You have to see this."<p>

Hundreds of phosphorescent creatures (or so they seemed, to Suyin) were swimming around in the water, lending their glow to it. Suyin stared at them in wonder. "What are those things?"

"I honestly don't know," Katara replied, moving her face closer to the water. "I have seen these… _things_ in areas of increased spiritual activity – near entrances to the Spirit World, for example. I think they're stray bits of spirit energy, actually."

"Oh, they are _beautiful_!" Suyin sighed. "Whatever do they mean, though?"

"Aside from indicating spiritual activity, I think they serve as nuclei," Katara told her niece thoughtfully. "Like how crystals form, Su. Sometimes when a really strong spiritual force is nearby, energy would begin piling up on these little lights until everything just balloons into one big ball of spirit light. I've seen it happen loads of times before, and it isn't always pleasant."

Suyin looked at the baby sleeping peacefully in her arms, bundled up in thick blankets and silk. She thought of the lengths that the Lian's mother was willing to go through, just to make sure that her baby would grow up okay. "I hope we would get a good outcome, Auntie."

Katara swirled the water around, disturbing the tiny balls of light within. "All we can do now is pray and wait, Suyin."

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** _Hi everyone! You might be wondering why all of a sudden there's this Spirit World story arc in this fic - it's because I love fairy tales and Greek myths wherein a lover goes on a quest to help a loved one. I think Lin going on a quest to the Spirit World for her baby is a great way to illustrate how much she loves Lian. You guys might've noticed how this story draws heavily from fairy tales and myths - it's just my way of showing how different this story arc is compared to the rest of the story, which is otherwise quite realistic. Anyway, I hope you guys like it! Next update's on Sunday evening! Ciao!_


	42. Chapter 42

"Well, this is it," Aang said. They were standing at the edge of a forest so huge it seemed to Lin that it went on for miles and miles. Chuckling, Aang nudged her forward. "Ladies first?"

Lin rolled her eyes at Aang. All those years of working in the police force had taught her how to read people's body language and facial expressions; right now, the uncertainty in the Avatar's face told her they were in unfamiliar territory. She was quite nervous herself, but knowing that she can't afford such a feeling at the moment, Lin tried to shake it away. "Have you been to this part of the Spirit World?"

"Honestly, no. I told you this world is huge – the spirits themselves cannot explore all of it," he replied, nervously eyeing the dark, gaping entrance to the forest warily.

Sighing, Lin walked towards the entrance, shortly followed by the Avatar. Even at the edge of the forest, the foliage was so dense it blocked out most of the light, keeping the place dimly lit and allowing Lin and Aang to see only a few feet ahead of them. Lin felt unnerved by the way the pinpricks of light played all around her, casting shadows that seemed to shift with step she took. The fact that the place was cold, dank, and eerily quiet did nothing to calm her senses.

"How are we supposed to find the pond in this place?" she asked, exasperated. "It doesn't seem like there's a clearing up ahead."

"Spirits are attracted to water," Aang reminded her. "Perhaps if I concentrate hard enough, I could find a spiritual signature somewhere in here – and then we could follow it towards the pond."

"Can you concentrate while walking?"

"I could try," Aang replied thoughtfully.

Lin trudged on, trying to maintain a straight path as she scrambled over fallen tree trunks and ducked below low-lying branches and vines. Catching her breath, she turned to the Avatar who was right behind her. "Perhaps…"

"What are you thinking of, Lin?"

_I cannot bend in the Spirit World_, she thought. "Oh – never mind, Uncle Aang."

The Avatar urged her forward. "Onward we go, then – we still have plenty of time," he announced, trying to maintain a cheery attitude despite the gloom.

Lin stepped on a boulder.

_What?_

Another step, and there it was.

_Impossible._

She planted her feet firmly on the rock. Like a surge of electricity, she felt countless vibrations bouncing back and forth – _could my seismic sense work in here_?

"Lin – is everything okay?"

She closed her eyes and breathed in the earthy scent of the forest. Taking another step forward, Lin felt it again – and in her mind she visualized almost the entire sprawling forest. She "saw" every tree, every boulder – even every spirit that dwelled within – and at the very edge of her seismic sense, a blurry area of vibrations which seemed to rise and fall with every breath she took.

_Perfect_.

Lin raced straight ahead, as fast as her legs – and the terrain – could allow. With nary a glance backward, she yelled, "Uncle! I know where to go! Follow me!"

* * *

><p>Kya drummed her fingers nervously against the polished stone desktop. After putting the baby to bed and leaving a maidservant to watch over it, Toph dragged a reluctant Kya to her study where she had some cactus juice laid out.<p>

"Stop doing that," Toph barked.

Kya took another swig of the cactus juice. "I can't help it," she gulped.

"This is going to be the longest watch of my entire life," Toph drawled, pouring herself another shot of the beverage. "I still think Lin's idea is insane."

"Perhaps we do insane things for people we love," Kya mused.

Toph smiled slyly when she heard Kya's words. "True, true. Let's raise our glasses to that – _AND_ to Lin, my hard-headed daughter who holds on to ideas even if they're batshit crazy."

Kya languidly raised her glass. _Also to the great people we could have been._

* * *

><p>"Lin! Wait!"<p>

_This girl is faster than lightning_, Aang thought as Lin sprinted on ahead, unmindful of the plants in her way. _How could she know the location of the pond? _He wondered.

_Mind over matter_, she kept repeating to herself as she hurried through the vines and brambles. She felt the sharp spines piercing through her clothes, grazing (and perhaps, wounding) her skin, yet she ignored them all. _I am in the spirit world. All the pain I feel is not real. Nothing will harm me here._

Lin finally came to a stop when she saw a particularly bright light right in front of her. She leaned against a tree to catch her breath, wondering where her companion might be. "Hey Uncle Aang! I probably made it here in record time, huh?" she called out.

Figuring that Aang was still probably far behind, Lin decided to proceed to the spirit pond.

Sunlight poured through the canopy, dappling the ground below with bright white spots. The pond was big – more like a small lake, actually – and was exactly as Amihan described. Silver water rippled lazily in the pool, reflecting the spots of sunshine from the canopy above. Little blue balls of light – perhaps spirit energy or maybe even spirits themselves – danced above the water, and lent their soft glow to the water, giving the entire pond an ethereal, otherworldly feel.

"_Beautiful_," she gasped.

Clutching the crystal vial that hung around her neck, Lin advanced to the pond, ready to retrieve some of the water for Amihan.

A frog spirit hopped in front of her, however, just when she was ready to fill the vial. "Oh no – not so fast, _human_."

Lin drew back, confused. "What _are _you?"

The frog spirit looked at her with annoyance all over its face. "What – am – I? _THIS IS MY POND!"_ he screamed. "_THAT'S MY WATER YOU'RE TRYING TO STEAL!_"

"Whoa there, frog – dude – thing! First of all, I am _not_ trying to steal anything! I was sent here on an errand," she replied.

"Well that's what you all say," the frog said, sounding very much like a spoiled brat.

"If I knew this pond was yours I would've asked for the water! Besides, why won't you give away some of that silver water, huh? You've got more than enough to go by!"

The frog leaped angrily in front of her. "_BECAUSE!"_

_If I had my bending right now, I would've sent this frog flying and finished my task way before the deadline_, she thought.

"Come on – off you go, silly human."

_Have all these year of dealing with crooks taught me nothing about bargaining? Perhaps I should change my strategy._ She turned to go.

"Get lost, human!"

"How about a fair trade?" she asked, her back still turned. "Perhaps if I pay you with something of importance to me, you could give me some of that water – that way we both win."

The frog kept silent.

Lin tilted her head to one side, listening. "No? Alright, I guess I have to go then. It was nice meeting –"

"You do have lovely eyes," the spirit mused. "I have never seen such a brilliant green before – _yes –_ that color will go well with my blue lights."

_You mean those beautiful blue lights are… eyes? _It was scary, but Lin remained still. "And if I give you my eyes?"

"I'd give you more water than you could ever use."

_My mother is blind and she did just fine – _

"Lin! What are you doing?" Aang emerged from the thicket, panting.

Lin tossed the vial to the frog even before Aang had the chance to tell her off. "Fine. Give me the water."

She saw Aang rush to the frog spirit who stood by the pond, filling the crystal vial with water.

"Too late now, Avatar – the deal has been sealed," the frog declared, hopping back to Lin.

She gratefully accepted the trinket, noting that instead of silver, the water was actually a milky, pearlescent white, glittering with what seemed like tiny iridescent particles. The frog began chanting something (Lin could hear the Avatar screaming in the background) she couldn't understand, and as she closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate, she saw numerous images flash before her – her mother's police badge, glittering in the sun; Sokka teaching her how to fight with a sword; Tenzin basking under the spirit lights; Poppy Beifong's blazing funeral pyre; her children – Lei's green eyes and Lian's grey ones, looking back at her own. _I have gone through so much, _she thought, _all because of love._

The Avatar fell to his knees when he saw Lin's eyes.


End file.
